As a business owner, sometimes we get sucked down into the depths – of frustration, despair, lack of work, too much work, problems with employees, managing vendors, COVID-19 struggles, and on and on and on. It can be tough to balance it all and keep a positive outlook when business isn’t going the way we’d like.
Often, it is very hard. Very hard. That’s not to say you don’t love it (most of the time), and of course, you are happy to own a business, but it can be tough to keep good thoughts top of mind, and appreciate the good points of being a business owner. How is it possible to be so frustrated and yet so happy at the same time?
I was thinking a lot about this conundrum when I was hiking in the Himalayas in 2019. It was one of the most difficult things I have ever done (physically) and there were many times that I wondered what in the heck I was doing – thousands of miles away from home, disconnected from family and my business. It was a grueling effort of walking nearly 8 hours each day gaining impressive altitude every hour. As the air got thinner, and the breaths were harder to take, with muscles screaming, there were multiple moments where I was seriously questioning my sanity in undertaking this adventure.
But…then I would stop. And just look up. Everywhere I could see, there were white capped mountains surrounding me. The beauty was truly heart stopping (even more so than the thin air!) I knew that the pain of the journey was worth it. That quick glance was all I needed to keep going. That little reminder of why I came was enough to fuel me for a little while longer.
So, what does this have to do with your business? I think we can often find ourselves in those situations – it is hard to breathe, parts of us are screaming, our hearts are pounding. Remember to take a moment to see the beauty. In the midst of the frustration, especially if you have been impacted by COVID-19, focus in on your most fabulous achievement, your favorite client, your most fantastic sale. Look for those moments of beauty in the midst of the frustrations of running a business. I challenge you to think about what keeps you going. Where can you find your beauty in difficult times?
