Do You Have Staying Power?
Do You Have Staying Power?
How to handle tough times.
One of the dilemmas that entrepreneurs struggle with is that they must be optimistic about their chances for success while, at the same time, be realistic enough to expect that there will be major hurdles and challenges along the way. The reason this is so important is because optimism gets knocked down very quickly when it meets with repeated adversity. Having a clear understanding that all successes come with their own sets of obstacles is an ideal way to have the staying power to withstand them.
I have now been running my seminar and coaching business for nearly ¼ of a century. In that time, I faced the loss of both parents, a potential lawsuit from a previous employer, a board member who absconded with $50,000 worth of donations for our church, a court battle with a delinquent customer, and a near-death experience of my wife. While these are my personal setbacks, all of us have faced the realities of 9/11 and an unforeseen pandemic.
The point is, we are all going to face many setbacks on our way to success. We need to be armed with strategies to face them. Whenever you are hit with a severe setback, I highly recommend that you allow yourself one day to feel bad. Take the full 24 hours to stew, complain, and reflect. You’ll probably want to avoid speaking with any clients because you will not come across at your best. Go for a jog, chop some wood, do some weeding. Find an activity that will allow you to just be alone with your thoughts and collect yourself. Tomorrow is another day. Once you allow yourself a little bit of distance from the setback, it will be a lot easier to get past.
If you’re dealing with an issue that is more severe — like the loss of a close loved one, you’re going to need more time to get over it. One of the best things you can do for yourself is lean on your network of contacts who may be able to help you through the difficult time.
When my wife was in the hospital for two solid months, I received numerous phone calls from friends, family, networking acquaintances, and clients all wanting to pitch in and do whatever they could to help. For the most part, I could handle most of the day-to-day activities on my own. However, there were a handful of people who were indispensable during that difficult time. This just drives home the importance of developing your networking in good times so that if you need them through a rough patch, you know where to turn.
Hardships will come. That’s certain. Building up your network and staying in good contact with them will insure that when you need to lean on someone else, there’ll be a shoulder waiting for you to lay your head.
“It’s not that I am so smart, it’s just that I stay with problems longer.” – Albert Einstein
(This excerpt is taken from my seminar entitled Survive and Thrive VI: Staying Power.) I encourage you to click here to register for my all new Survive and Thrive VI: Staying Power seminar on Thursday, November 17, 2022 from 8:30 AM to 12 noon Eastern Standard Time at Melhorn Manor in Mount Joy, PA. This event will also be available through live streaming.
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