How to Handle an Uncertain Future as an Entrepreneur
One week you are swimming in cash, opportunities, new ventures, success, and everything that you can dream. The next week your opportunities, leads, cash reserves, and success seem to evaporate faster than a glass of water in the Sierra.
This is the life of an entrepreneur.
It’s crazy success and crazy uncertainty around every corner. So how do we mentally deal with this uncertain future?
Recognizing “reality,” both good and bad.
This can be tough for most entrepreneurs because we are wired one way or the other. Either we can see only the good and the opportunities, or we can see all the shit that is going wrong.
Some call us optimistic, some call us pragmatic.
Personally, I feel you need a bit of both. It’s about being optimistically pragmatic. Looking at the situation you are currently in, find the gifts, and the things to be grateful for. Then you can work everything out from there.
Create a clear plan of action steps.
I think the fastest way we can fail is by doing nothing. Sitting and wallowing won’t get you anywhere in life. Look at the situation and decide what you can do right this moment, to start making progress.
If you are out of leads or out of opportunities to make revenue, take a look at what you can do to get leads and sales in the next 2 weeks. Specifically, do activities that have brought in the majority of sales for you in the past. Plainly, do the things that already work for you. They’ll bring more results that work for you!
Does this solve your immediate problem? Of course not! But at least you are making a plan to never be in this situation again.
Set your goals and start taking action to make it happen.
Recognize what you are in control of and what you are not.
When uncertainty rears its ugly head, we are probably in the middle of something we can’t control.
For example, I don’t have direct control of who becomes the next president. I don’t have control of what the stock market is going to do. I don’t have control of whether or not a client is going to sign the deal and write a check.
When we see what we can control (and what we can’t!) we can create more certainty in our life.
If the solution to your problem is outside your control do two things.
First, write yourself a free pass to feel good about your life. If you honestly can not control the outcome, what is the use in worrying about it?
Second, find 3 things you can do that will give you more options and plant some seeds.
Move forward and take action on something.
Move forward and start taking some serious action. Even if there is zero chance it will get you out of your current situation, go do something!
Go volunteer at a local charity, work on a new pet project, heck go put your resume in at the local diner. I see the relationship between you and the Universe as you being a pitcher and the Universe being the batter.
Your goal is to pitch as many balls as you can to the Universe.
The more that you throw, the more chances the Universe gets to hit you a home run, or hell even a single.
Now, if you have actions in mind that will create substantial results—do those! The point is to start moving, because once you get some momentum it builds.
Celebrate your progress and your wins.
You are what you think about. If you spend your time focusing on an uncertain future you will receive more of it. If you spend your time being grateful for all the things you have in life, you will receive more of things you are grateful for in life.
Even when things are looking bleak there is always something to be grateful for. You have the eyes to read this. You live in an age of unlimited opportunities, knowledge and so much more. Success, gratitude, and happiness breed more of itself.
Spend at least 5 minutes a day just being grateful.
Heck, spend an hour and change your life.
Create supportive routines and patterns.
Our habits create our reality. If for instance you eat like crap every day and don’t exercise, you’re probably overweight, unhealthy, and unhappy.
If you don’t spend time every day managing your money, planning your purchases, and being frugal, you probably are broke, in debt, and unhappy. If you spend all day only thinking of yourself, not thinking or caring about your partner and not expressing how much they mean to you, you’re probably not in a relationship and perhaps you’re lonely and unhappy.
If you don’t like a current aspect or result in your life, start today creating new habits.
Yes, it won’t fix your immediate problems but you have to start sometime. If you do the same thing (the same routines, rituals, and habits) and expect different results— that is plain stupidity or insanity depending on how you look at it.
Plainly, if you’re looking for different results, you must change your habits and rituals. Anthony Robbins explains this clear as day in his Hour of Power video.
I hope those nuggets of wisdom helped you understand how to handle an uncertain future as an entrepreneur.
How do you handle uncertain situations? Let us know in the comments!
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