What would Jesus do? Business problems can be overcome because there are different ways to solve them. Heck, you can come up with your own solutions and write a book about it. The beauty is that whichever way you choose, it’s reducible. You can describe to another person how you went from A to B to solution. This is why you shouldn’t shy away from being a mentor to other aspiring entrepreneurs.
You showing leadership in your business is, comparatively, easy. The harder part is usually leading yourself. It’s a thing because small businesses are much more influenced by the personality of the owner. Your businesss is an extension of who you are. So, if you are not composed, holding yourself together, you can see how problematic things may get.
READ: 6 DIFFERENCES BETWEEN MEN AND WOMEN ENTREPRENEURS
Leading yourself is most difficult when business is rough. Yet, it is when you’re most needed to remain unfazed and make good decisions. Can you see your own shortcomings? Can you accept that it was your fault? There are 4 sinkholes you’ll find yourself in during challenging business times. Let’s see how to stop digging and climb back up:
Not where you want to be
Leading yourself well is about knowing where your life is headed. And the steps to get there, we underrate this part. In business, the plot is lost when you lose the excitement you once had for your work. And you can’t just apply for another job. It’s easy to fall for distractions when this happens. One sign is latching onto any first sign of hope. Usually, these are short-term payoffs. They don’t last.
To come back from business stagnation, use the advice they give you if you’ve failed to fall asleep. It’s get out of the bed for a while. Same case here. Take a short mental break from your business. Then come back refreshed with a new course of action you will be hungry to actualize. Maybe, start with smaller dreams the second time.
Too much for you to handle
It doesn’t only happen when you are juggling so many responsibilities. Being overwhelmed can be the result of setback after setback. Take heart, bad things happen to good people. Leading yourself well is accepting that you, and nobody, can give 100% in everything. So, you should start being okay with saying ‘NO’ and dropping things. It’s better to focus on your key strengths. If your business can outsource, why not you?
If you don’t have room to do that, learn from Hope Mwanake. Assemble your support group. “Life is all about working with people and giving them a chance to show you that they can step up to the occasion once called upon.”
Nobody gets you
Kamaitha says, “Most friends want to be associated with friends who say they work at place X and Y. They will not understand what you do and therefore will not support you.” She goes on to add that your friendships may descend into avoidance. Not only do you not have things in common to talk about, but you’ll also have your fill of naysayers. Can you imagine what they’ll say when your business is enduring a rough time?
Alone, you can’t even rebound your ideas. Still, don’t be so vulnerable. Only good lotion should get under your skin. Feeling alone is part of the entrepreneurship journey. But you can still find your tribe, not literally except during General elections. How? We’ll borrow advice again. This time from dating. You gotta hang out where your type of people hang out.
You want to give up
Problems may pile up and you wonder if that business is what you should even be doing – with your one life. You may lose confidence and start second guessing every decision you make. Giving up is allowed. Success is about meeting milestones. But it’s a big decision. This means, leading yourself well, it should be based on objective analysis. Only numbers can do that. You should also opt to ask for advice, just to see other types of thinking. People are surprisingly nice. All that venom on social media is just letting off steam. If you’re convinced to stick with it, remember your long term goals. A 5-year plan can only conclude at the end of 5 years.
