Stop the Madness? You can't stop the chaos around you, but you can rein in its power.
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A decade ago, Karen started a consulting firm focused on helpingretailers merchandise their stores. To most, it looked as if shehad achieved everything she wanted: wonderful employees, well-knownclients and her own office space. Still, Karen knew this was onlythe first step in her business plan; she wanted to broaden herreach by expanding her consulting services into otherindustries.
However, the constant demands of her clients, employees, familyand other daily distractions didn't afford her time to focus ongrowth. The chaos around her would sidetrack her every time shetried to bring some order to her life and career.
We control the directions of our energies. To develop newmethods for achieving our goals, we must learn how to transform thepower that chaos generates into a creative force. Like muscles, wecan train our minds to become stronger during stressful times. Tofortify your success stamina, treat obstacles as learning tools,and:
1. Take time to re-energize your mind. When life seemedcrazy during my childhood, my grandma would always say, "Youneed a change of pace." We would do something entirelydifferent with no particular purpose, freeing our minds fromconstraints. Schedule 10 minutes a day as a"mini-vacation" from tackling your action items to gainnew perspectives. Listen to music, meditate, or take a walk. Yourbody often gives out when it is exhausted; your mind acts in muchthe same manner. Give it some downtime from the daily commotion youencounter.
2. Establish a pattern of game-changing behavior. Lettinggo of entrenched positions helps you gain perspective on possiblenew approaches. Schedule a specific time of day, maybe earlymorning or lunchtime, to think creatively. Begin the process byacknowledging how new developments may affect your business. Removeany doubtful thoughts from your mind, and pledge to figure out newways to achieve your goals.
3. Remind yourself that you're a risk-taker. It tookcourage to start your own business. And as your business grows, youwill become more and more secure in your decision making. When newchallenges occur, recapture your original entrepreneurial energy byallowing yourself to feel uncomfortable. Reinvigorate your risktaking by investigating imaginative ways to move to your next levelof success. Just acknowledging that there is a way out of anydifficult situation increases your energy and lays the groundworkfor new innovations.
4. Permit your experience, knowledge and intuition to provideyour next step to success. Clarity and resolve are onlythoughts until you act upon them. Your entrepreneurial spirit isyour most valuable asset. Taking action rekindles your passion toconquer any new challenge. Begin by clearly defining the challengein writing. This visual image makes the situation manageable and,therefore, resolvable. While you may not have all the informationto solve each problem immediately, stay open to new ideas andmethods, and your resolution will surface.
As a successful entrepreneur, you have the insight and abilityto be proactive and discover unique solutions. Rather than allowingyour spirit to get distracted by what you perceive as limitations,be curious, and listen to the opinions and thoughts of others.Boost your energy by celebrating the success you create, especiallyduring times of change.
