The tension.
The stress.
The constant wondering….
Are things going to go this way? or that?
Will this be a scary storm that we are telling people about for years to come? Or a devastating one that we BARELY make it through alive?
Today, my family is busily preparing for the impending arrival of Hurricane #Florence. We’re watching the news, trying to predict the unpredictable, creating contingency plans for our contingency plans.
It reminds me of some of my “stormier” moments in business…. talking myself through any number of possible scenarios.
“Okay, if this person pays today, a direct hit / crisis will be avoided. And if payment doesn’t come today, I can probably float this payment and make arrangements for that one. As long as _________ happens by THIS date, we’ll be fine. BUT, if _________________ doesn’t come through, we’re gonna wish I’d evacuated and taken that J-O-B.” =)
Thoughts not only of CAN I weather this entrepreneurial storm… but SHOULD I? Is it reasonable? Is it rational? Is it… RESPONSIBLE?
Am I doing the right thing by staying the course?
Should I pack up and — you know — use my degree or something?
Anyway, I’m reminded of all of these thoughts as I prepare for Florence and I know they are familiar to A LOT of entrepreneurs. So, here is how I have hunkered down… and not only SURVIVED (living to fight another day) but also THRIVED in the turbulent waters of full-time, no back up plan entrepreneurial life.
(These are tips… habits… etc. listed in random order.)
⛈ DELIBERATELY BUILD SOME EMOTIONAL TENACITY. You’ve heard me say this 100 times before, but the entrepreneurial arena is NO place for the timid to come and play… If you enter, be prepared to navigate some storms. I have built a full 30-day program JUST FOCUSED on Mental Toughness. If you would like it, message me so I can send it over to you.
⛈ CREATE A FINANCIALLY SAFE HARBOR POSITION. I wrote about this in more detail in this article, so I won’t belabor the details here. The point? NEED less than you EARN.
⛈ HAVE A BUSINESS STRUCTURE YOU CAN DEPEND ON. I live in a simple ranch-style house… and it is strong. It is built “country tough” and has weathered MANY storms. So, I am confident that the structure of my home can withstand whatever a storm can bring my way. (within reason.)
In business, I have something similar. I have habits that continue to build my brand. I have systems that bring money in EVEN WHEN I GO OFF THE GRID. (If THIS is something you’re interested in… ESCAPING the “hand to mouth,” “trading dollars for hours” scenario, you MUST move heaven and earth to be with us at Women Who WOW LIVE! in Nashville TN October 19th and 20th.) Message me for details.
⛈ LEARN HOW TO CONVERT WAVES INTO FUEL FOR YOUR BUSINESS. In other words, waves are part of the process. Unexpected rip currents too. So, learn how to process it all, not as a sign of impending doom, but as ENERGY, MOTIVATION, & FUEL. This matters so much. and it’s a mindset thing… it is a DELIBERATELY CULTIVATED habit. No one is BORN with this. It is a muscle that must be — and can be — built by you.
⛈ DO NOT BATTLE THE HEADWINDS ALONE. The truth is, the entrepreneurial journey can be a lonely one… and the MORE successful you get, the LONELIER it can get. it’s NOT SAFE to swim alone. So, find your tribe. Women who GET you, who will CHEER you on when you’re succeeding and grab you by the arms when you feel like you’re sinking. If you are a SERIOUSLY driven woman entrepreneur, Women Who WOW may honestly be the “safety in the storm” you’re looking for. We’re succeeding… wildly… and on our own terms. Message me if you want IN.
