Some of you may know that I crashed on my mountain bike this past weekend. To be honest, I don’t really know what happened. One moment I am cranking down the trail and the next I am speaking somewhat incoherently and begging my partner to get the bike off me and help me. It was kind of pathetic and odd - the adrenaline spike, the blood and injury, and observing myself in the third person (talking non-sense and moving around all strange). It was an accident. In the truest sense of the word.
I am getting better. Today I can at least move a bit. The stitches held. The x-rays came back negative. I will live to ride again.
The lesson and what is the parallel to business development? I thought about this a lot on the 5 mile walk/ride/stumble (yes, clearly I think about this stuff a lot) we had remaining to get back to the car - tenacity, companionship, and planning.
- I was with a partner. We were both self contained on our own bikes, but we worked together to support each other.
- We each had a small first aid kit in our packs, combined together it made a pretty good kit. We were able to improvise and keep things moving and safe.
- A bandage, tape, water, and advil go a long way.
- I had been in worse situations and could call upon those experiences to keep things in perspective.
The parralel questions to ask yourself about your business?
- Do you have a partner or support system to back you up when you need it? Who are you supporting? Business is not a solo activity - you may be a solo-prenerur but that doesn’t mean you work alone. Cultivate a support system and reach out to others.
- Are you prepared for a crisis? What steps do you need to take to prepare for a crisis? Living in fear is not an option as a business owner, but being prepared is a differentiator in your continued success.
- You don’t need the newest, sexiest, most techy Web 2.0 tools - you need what is going to work for you. I needed an E.R. a few hours later, but at the time I needed emotional support, some tape, water, and a some gauze.
- This is not your first dance. You have been out there before and gathered all kinds of experiences. Leverage them and apply the knowledge and experience you have gained.
The final bit here: self-rescue.
Self-rescue is key and self-rescue is not solo rescue. We were skilled as travelers and in our medical treatment. We took charge of the situation and initiated our own care and solution. Sitting back and waiting for help was not an option. It is also not an option when operating your own business.
See you out there (maybe a few weeks for me - but, I’ll be back out there soon!).
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