You are in the thick of it. The middle of everything.
Things are confusing, overwhelming, scary, and exciting at the same time.
There are no longer any sign posts directing your way - you are moving into Terra Incognita.
This is the freedom you were looking for when you started out on your own and, paradoxically, exactly the freedom that raises your anxiety and tempts you to head back to the comfort of the known and safe.
Add to this equation a shifting economy and the question surfaces: Is it time to quit?
As a climber and an entrepreneur, I reach this point every time I stretch to grow, on every climb and on every project that has risk and reward.
Romanus Wolter recently wrote about this phenomenon in Entrepreneur Dec 2008. His conclusions about operating in an unstable fear-based economy boil down to:
- Create an Exit Strategy: Release the fear of quitting by having an exit strategy. Once that strategy is established, let it go and focus on the task at hand.
- Change Does not Equal Failure: Roadblocks and setbacks occur - it is up to you to manuever your business around, over, or through them.
- View Your Business as an Experiment: Reignite your entrepreneurial spirit - this is your design!
- Reinforce Your Willpower: Keep your head clear of negative thinking - free yourself from the downward spiral of self-doubt. Commit. Surround yourself with like minded and supportive professionals. The difference will be immediate!
As a mountain climber who is also metaphorically climbing the mountain of growing my own business, I have a couple of additional thoughts:
- This is a First Ascent: You are on a First Ascent, whether you are creating a totally original concept, franchise, part-time, or family business - this is a first ascent for you. Every first ascent is full of unknowns and needs constant recalibration - cut yourself some slack and include the learning and correction process in your expectations.
- Terra Incognita: As you travel into new realms with your business, how you think is more important than what you know. You may be an entrepreneur but that doesn’t mean you need to know everything and be an expert. Employ the help and knowledge of others around you - this is an invaluable step to free you to concentrate on your skills and unique talents.
- There is no try - only do: Yes, Master Yoda was the one who said this. My spin: You cannot wait out on the plains for the answer of how to climb the mountain - you must go to the mountain to discover how to climb it.
Good news: You are not alone. All business owners experience self-doubt and questioning. The difference is in how they handle it.
Take a moment and reflect on your end goal, realign your work if need be, and get back to it. Take the next step, grab the next hand hold, let the fear be, and keep moving.
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