10 Ways to Weather the Storm Entrepreneurship

Ever been in one of those nasty storms? Trees falling, hail blowing, wind taking down everything in its path, and lighting bolts coming down like no tomorrow. Storms are scary. Storms are horrible. But we have no control over them. They come unexpectedly and strike with no remorse. They’re horrible!

Entrepreneurs face storms as well. Ask any successful entrepreneur about the storms of business and he/she will have a whole book of the times when things just outright sucked! When everything felt like it was falling a part. And when they felt like giving up because nothing was falling into place.

Here are 10 ways to weather the storm of entrepreneurship. A storm that will inevitably hit your business and produce massive destruction (if you let it). Only the determined will be able to survive.

1. Focus on the present (not the past or the future): Everybody likes to look into the past when things go wrong for some reason. But when things go wrong you need to focus on the “now” and the “present.” Don’t think about yesterday. Don’t think about tomorrow. Think about today. Think about the actions that you need to take immediately and remain in the present. Thinking about other periods of time will serve to distract you.
2. Embrace the problem — don’t fight it: Conventional wisdom tells us that we need to “destroy” our problems in order to get rid of them. I beg to differ. We need to hug and kiss our problems. Why? Because they are a part of us; a part of our lives. Don’t fight them, just acknowledge them. Say “hello crashed server I acknowledge you and I’m going to work with you to make things better, not destroy you.” Work with your problems, not against them. If you show your problems some love, you’ll be able to flow with them and pull yourself out of a bad situation much easier. If you fight your problems, you’ll cloud your ability to get through them. Think about that.
3. Breathe: Never underestimate the power of the breath. When things go wrong, practice mindful breathing for a few minutes and watch how quickly things can normalize. Breathe in slowly. Recognize the air entering your body. Then exhale slowly. Remain aware of your breath as in enters and exists your body. Try not to think about anything else other than you breathing, right now.
4. Don’t be caught by the Karma Police: Always remain aware of the good times. The times when your business is running smoothly. And, remain aware of the times when things went wrong. Say that you had a flood in your office and your computers were ruined. You had no idea how you were going to get by without your computers. Then all of a sudden someone lent you a few computers until that insurance check came in and you were able to purchase new computers. A year later, you encounter someone who also had a flood in their office and their computers were destroyed. Now, think back to the time when someone lent you computers during a hard time. It’s time for you to extend that same compassion to someone else. If you don’t, then don’t wonder why no one helps you out the next time you run into a bad situation. Bottom line: karma is real so continue to help as many people as you can and don’t expect anything in return. The universe will take care of you, trust me.
5. Construct a plan: One of the best ways to get through bad times is to take some time to plan out a sequence of actions to remedy the situation. It’s great to put things down on paper and work through each situation, one by one. For example:

Problem: Need to close 2 deals in order to pay the company bills.

Solutions: Contact past clients and offer them a discount for continued business. Spend and extra 2 hours searching on Craigslist for additional clients.

The idea is to actually write out what needs to get done, then start listing out possible solutions.

6. Reach out to your friends / family: When times are bad something as simple as a phone conversation with someone that you respect and love can really make your day and put a smile on your face. Don’t bottle up your problems; share them with people who are willing to listen. You’ll feel much better.
7. Anticipate problems: Spend time thinking about the “what ifs” of your business. What if my server crashed? What if my computer broke? What of my partner left the business? What if I got sick and had to leave for a week? I know this is hard, but try and work out solutions to problems that don’t exist. If you do this, you’ll be prepared from anything to come. Preparation is key.
8. Stop Blaming The World: What’s the first thing that we do when something goes wrong? We blame someone else. Guess what? That’s totally wrong. The first thing that you need to do is look “within.” People work so hard on fixing their material and external worlds that they completely forget about the internal world. Take care of your mind, body, and soul. Look deeply into your mind when things go wrong and begin from there. The “last” thing that you should do is blame / attack someone.
9. Retain your composure and equanimity: When you feel angry, upset, confused, etc. don’t let those emotions control you. If you are angry about something that’s happening with your business, then remain calm and do everything in your power to see through those emotions, without exploding. Remember, “you” are in control — not your emotions. If your emotions are controlling you, then you aren’t free. You are a slave. Practice remaining calm and cool when things go wrong. Over time, you’ll develop your skills to think clearly and remain in control of the situation no matter how heated you become.
10. Take care of your Mind and Body: I bet you thought that the mind and body were separate, eh? They aren’t. They’re one. If your body is suffering, your mind will be affected. If your mind is suffering, your body will be affected. Practice yoga, meditate, or continue going to your respective church (if that’s your thing). Do whatever you have to do to explore your true Nature. You have to find yourself. You have to not only build physical strength, but mental strength as well. These two go hand in hand. When you are able to find your true self, you become a powerful person. That’s true power. And with understanding, you can get through any obstacles in your path.







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