Posted by JuJuan Buford @JSBUFORD
I hit the wall as an entrepreneur recently.
It took me a while to acknowledge it, further worsening the situation, because in my mind I believed leaders don’t hit the wall. People who do epic things don’t hit the wall. When your back is against it, and the rubber meets the road, high achievers find a way. They climb walls. Dig under, chip away at them, or simply detonate them, but hitting the wall cannot be part of the narrative.
The signs were there. I began taking on projects and work that were gratifying and financially rewarding, but didn’t align with my core focus. And as the work became more taxing, instead of retreating I doubled down, and began to neglect the things that sustain and edify me personally, physically, psychologically, and mentally.
After all, who has time to run a couple miles a day, when there are important tasks still undone? Meal prep? I can cheat this week. I need the time to meet this deadline, and cooking and cleaning is way too much of a distraction. Reading and writing. The draft of the book is completed, and writing exercises are cutting into the time I need to eat some of these frogs. I’ll focus on the creative later.
And then the coup de grâce. I began entertaining myself to take the bite off the inevitable aches and pains, mental fatigue, and continual psychological duress lessening my ability to focus, deal with small adversities, and continually launch out of bed with enthusiasm and excitement.
I knew something was wrong, when I no longer woke up fifteen minutes before my alarm. When far too often I knew my KPIs (key performance indicators) were no longer congruent with my expectations (desired results). And worse yet, I knew what the appropriate response was and still failed to execute. Simple tasks required so much effort. People’s pettiness and trivial disputes started becoming too much to negotiate, and crisis mode was beginning to creep in. I started consuming multiple cups of coffee, rather than drinking 40 ounces of water in the morning.
Any of these signs sound familiar? This is the entrepreneurial wall my friends.
Now how did I, and how can you hit the reset button and go back in time to a more beautiful existence? You don’t. However, here are some suggestions that will allow you to reclaim your life, and replace the bad habits you’ve allowed yourself to drift into.
Refocus On Your Core Values, Core Focus, & Goals Again.
It is the lack of congruence between what matters most to you, and the things you’re involved in that is draining you psychologically and emotionally. A healthy mind cannot be duplicitous, and it’s hard to spend your life’s energies on a compromise.
Make your goals omnipresent again. Take thirty minutes to an hour to make sure the items on your to do list reflect the masterpiece life you’re building. To paraphrase Ellen Glasgow, all change is not progress, and all movement is not forward. Growth and progress are intentional exercises.
Remember to add moments of rest, time for exercise, and watch your diet. If you are a leader or high achiever, you are spending an extraordinary amount of energy. It’s easy to fall into the trap of feeling like you’re doing more, while your work is becoming less effective.
Get Back to the Fundamentals & Key Performance Indicators (KPIs).
The predictability of your income is found in your process. When you’re hitting the wall, entrepreneurs in general and especially creatives easily fall victim to seeking novelty to alleviate boredom and discomfort. This is how you find yourself in the worst possible place, putting out financial crises because your process is unraveling.
Do a deep dive into your KPIs. At the end of the day, all successful business owners focus on the following activities in order to thrive.
- How many people are learning about my business on a daily basis?
- How many people are being prompted to make a buying decision?
- How many happy (expectations met or exceeded) customers or clients am I creating?
- How many referrals or new prospects are being funneled into the pipeline?
If you are not onboarding enough new clients, you are either not inviting enough people to learn about your business, or you’re (you and or your team) not doing something right. It’s all in your numbers. Business is simple and boring, which is tantamount to predictable. People make things complicated.
How is Your Follow Through Game?
Start having meaningful conversations with your clients to ensure they are being converted into super fans. Make sure you and your team, your vendors, affiliates, including any and everyone that is connected to your business financially or materially are on the same page. Do they understand what your values are? Are they willing to be accountable to those values? Are they able or do they have the capacity to deliver on the values, principles, and ideas that matter most.
Having a clear vision allows you to build a culture of accountability. Building a culture of accountability creates positive momentum. Momentum creates speed and harmony. It attracts and incentivizes profitable, healthy behaviors. And it repels people and behaviors that are problematic. Be honest about where you may have come up short, be accountable, and embrace tough conversations.
Become the Smallest Person in the Room
Find a space where you are the least accomplished. Join a space where you are the least intelligent, important, and or effective person in the room. Motivation is temporary. Put yourself in an environment where you are going to be forced to level up to remain there.
It is extremely difficult to stop exhibiting certain habits, but much easier to replace them. Observe the habits of those who are achieving or have what you’re taking aim at, and eat the fruit and spit out the seed. In other words, consume what’s for you and good for you, and discard or journal the rest. If it requires an investment, make it. If you know it’s beneficial and the only reason (excuse) you have for not investing in it is financially motivated, find a way to do it anyway.
Company Site > https://thebufordco.com/
Who is JuJuan Buford > https://bit.ly/JuJuanBufordOfficial
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