To be honest I’m feeling really low. Set a goal and missed it. Now I’m trying to keep my head above water doing something super humbling for pitence
A friend sent me this text. We were supposed to be catching up but things hadn’t being going to plan for him with his latest business project. He was off to do a job he didn’t want to do, to earn some extra cash, to keep his business dreams alive. I have been there many times before with my work and business ventures.
This guy has been a massive encouragement and support to me so I decided to write this for him 🙂
When the Excitement Wears off
Setting off on a new adventure is super exciting, full of enthusiasm and optimism. At some point though, you will reach a moment you haven’t planned for or thought about.
You will feel like your failing, you’re not measuring up and you’re not good enough. You will look out and see everyone else being “successful”, it will seem like the only person in the world that can’t do it is you!
For a while, I felt like this at least 1 in 4 weeks. I would call it the rollercoaster of business and life. How do you keep going when you feel like this?
While there’s nothing I can say that will change how you feel right now it helps to know that it’s normal.
It’s a Normal Part of the Journey
One of the first blog posts I wrote was about failure. I wanted to share the other side of the coin. We hear and see so many success stories. It’s easy to think that if your struggling you’re not doing it right and that successful people don’t have these struggles.
Here is an excerpt from that post…
“… Over the years, I have tried numerous business projects that haven’t succeeded at all or to the degree I would have originally hoped for. Ideas that I have put huge amounts of time and energy into only end up fizzling out. Again, at the time, it makes you feel like you’re no good at anything. Each time, though, I tell myself that going through this process is an achievement in itself.
I have struggled with motivation and drive; they come and go like a rollercoaster. I can be very lazy. I love to come up with a great idea and get it started, but then I procrastinate doing anything that takes more than 10 minutes of my time. So, I don’t get things finished. If I spent as much time finishing the ideas I started as I did thinking about new ones, I would be about 50 times more productive.
I find it hard to make decisions; I am naturally quite shy and lack the confidence to back myself. Outwardly, I appear to take the bull by the horns and charge ahead, but inwardly, I secretly question every decision I make. I am constantly weighing what I “should have done.”
Basically’ I feel like I have stuffed up a thousand times before, and I know I will probably stuff up another thousand.
So, what do I do about all this failure? …” Read more here
Everyone Has Days/Weeks/Months like This
Your not some weirdo, your not useless, your not a failure. Again from Failure: The Ups and Downs of Business and Their Challenges
“…Often it feels like I’m taking two steps forward and one step back. The two steps forward make me feel like I am on top of the world and nothing could go wrong. Then there is an unforeseen setback which brings me crashing back down to reality.
This cycle has happened over and over again, and it takes its toll on me. More recently, I have begun to expect the cycle, recognizing when I am on top, and also when I am low.
This actually fits quite well with the entrepreneur cycles discussed in an old guest post from 2008 on Tim Ferris’s Blog
When I am on “top of the world,” I remind myself to not get too comfortable, yet still, enjoy and appreciate it. I know that this will pass, and when I am in a low, I remind myself of the other times I have felt like this and how the feeling eventually passed.”
It’s Not the First or the Last Time You Will Feel like This
Pause for a moment and think about the last time you felt this way. How long did it last and how did you get through?
Knowing that you have been here before helps you get through today’s dull weather. Just like a rain cloud rolling through, you know there will be sunny days on the other side, even if that seems like a distant reality.
Here’s a cool little video for you, the sun is just above the clouds.
2 Things That Help Me Move Forward
A friend Jesse wrote Going back to your Why “…
Going back to your ‘WHY’, going back to the purpose will ALWAYS uncover that obstacle, that problem, that roadblock with a solution. In fact, you may often find that you have been attempting to solve the complete wrong problem in the first place, and you will then be able to turn your attention to the correct problem to solve.
Clarity of purpose, honesty, humility and the ability to CHANGE back to the true north of that purpose is essential in getting unstuck.
The best thing about refocusing on your ‘WHY’, is that it is never too late. Today, simply and honestly go back to your ‘WHY’ so you can move out of that rut. …”
Write a List of All the Things you Have Achieved
“…Looking back, there were numerous times throughout the year that I felt I was going around in circles. I felt flat, and it was like mentally a thick fog had rolled in. I couldn’t even see the next step to take. It’s interesting because when I sit and write a list of what I have done, there is still a lot to be proud of, but I didn’t have the sense of satisfaction I have had other years. This has shaped my theme for the year going forward
What are the things that worked well this year?
- Back to basics – finding 1 little thing to do (like cleaning my desk) focusing on 1 small step. When I was overwhelmed or not motivated, finding a little task to keep going (just 1-minute philosophy),
- Writing lists of stuff to be thankful for.
- Writing lists of what’s stressing me out. Then asking myself, “What can I change, and what do I have to accept won’t change.”
- Focusing on finishing off current projects rather than starting new ones, both at home and at work…”
In moments like this it’s important to stop and reflect on how far you have come. Stop, look back on past and think about how far you have come.
Write down a list of all the things, big and small you have achieved to date.
Lastly, I Want to Encourage You with a Quote…
Keep your head up, you’re awesome 🙂