Last week, I returned from a two week break in England visiting my friends and family. To say I enjoyed myself is a gross understatement -- the trip was incredible and it changed me in so many ways! Absolutely amazing. But more on that in next week's article.
There was one thing that happened during my time in the motherland that was less than magical, though. Because I was having a blast with my friends and family, I vastly reduced the hours I worked on my business. My engagement started to drop, as did my leads and ultimately my revenue. It made me feel like crap, a feeling which lingered for a solid 48 hours before I got my sh*t together.
You know when you have a set-back and you momentarily return to an old mindset and it just feels... gross? That's where I was at.
It feels raw to share this and I'm massively uncomfortable admitting to it. But I know that's a sure sign it needs to be said, and if I felt this way -- albeit momentarily -- I'm damn sure many of you have, too.
Another motivating factor for sharing this -- I learned an enormous amount from the experience and I want to share those lessons to help those of you who have lost your way.
So here are three steps to shake you from that place of doubting your abilities in business.
Stop comparing
During that two-day slump, I found myself on social media engaged in a bad habit I haven't indulged in since I started my business two years ago. The bad habit in question? Perusing the profiles of my fellow online entrepreneurs and looking wistfully at their activities. It made me feel like crap. I started to feel resentment and envy bubbling up, even towards those I love and respect. I felt awful and totally unnatural to me. And I know better.
I know that we all periodically struggle, no matter how awesome our life and our business seems on social media. I know that "another level, another devil" is absolute truth, and as we grow we are presented with new challenges. And I also know that comparison is rife, and it's killing our business mojo. My advice? Stop comparing. Seriously. Stop it.
List your accomplishments
As a British-Canadian, being humble is in my red, white and blue DNA. But there are many things I've accomplished and I don't give myself nearly enough credit both publicly and privately. It truly struck me when a family friend in England shared a heartfelt statement, "You must be so proud of what you've achieved."
It made me think. Am I proud? Do I know what my accomplishments are? Or have I been too busy working on the next goal? Have I even come up for air in the past two years?
When I thought about it, I realized I had a laundry list of items I should feel incredibly proud of. (For example -- this very article happens to be my 50th piece in two years. Pretty damn good!) Having taken the time to review my list, I do feel proud of myself. Here's how you can replicate this for yourself - grab a pen and paper. Write what you've accomplished in the past 12 months (or six, if you're a total badass). Read it and weep... with gratitude and pride.
Look forward
Right now, you feel shitty. And I know I did during my set-back. But in the foreseeable future, you will be riding another entrepreneurial wave of glory. So look to the next moment. Close your eyes. Imagine how you will feel when that next wave hits. Confident. Strong. Unstoppable. And use that feeling to propel you forward.
Life ebbs and flows. There are times of high energy and massive movement; and there are situations when your energy is low and your traction is none-existent. It's all a cycle. And if you're serious about entrepreneurship, you need to become accustomed to rolling with the punches instead of beating yourself up for having some down time.
A closing thought if you're really struggling.
Don't throw in the towel. In other words, don't make a permanent decision based on temporary feelings.
Win back your business mojo. We need you.
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