Wednesday
15Jul2009
Entrepreneurs: How to stay strong and focused during tumultuous times
Wednesday, July 15, 2009 at 07:13PM If you knew with absolute certainty that after 1,001 tries you would achieve your vision and the success you desire, how willing would you be to endure the agony of failure for first 1,000 times?
This is how every entrepreneur must approach their experience every moment of every day. If you are unwilling or unable to accept that it may take thousands of tries and many financially fruitless years of hard effort and sweat equity, then I highly recommend you reevaluate your decision to pursue entrepreneurship as a career path.
In a relatively short period of time I have been through more ups and downs that I might care to admit or relive. However, when I do have the courage to look back on the experiences that seemed difficult and painful at the time, I can identify a purpose. Myriad learning opportunities in each experience directly impacted my ability to succeed in scenarios that I encountered much later in life…sometimes even years later.
To capitalize on this, several years ago I started practicing something I call the “annual achievements review.” I’ve found this to be an invaluable tool for revisiting successes and reviewing those “learning opportunities” you experience each year. The premise is simple: At the end of each year set aside at least one full day where you can be alone – you may even want to go away to ensure limited distractions – to reflect deeply and create a list of everything you achieved (no matter how small or significant) during the year.
If you’re like me, you’ll find this exercise to be an exceptional self-confidence and self-knowledge builder. You may event want to invite someone close to you like a spouse, friend, or business partner to help you add to your list after you’ve completed the list to the best of your ability on your own.
Warning: As you engage in this exercise your mind may try to tell you that certain achievement you want to list aren’t really achievements…that certain achievements don’t count because they don’t meet some bogus preconceived criteria. Ignore this voice in your head and list these little achievements anyway. Don’t miss out on opportunities to congratulate yourself, even if it’s regarding what some might consider “baby steps.”
Every achievement, no matter how seemingly minor, is important. Not a one should be discounted because each small accomplishment can represent a substantial stepping stone to future success. You just may not know it yet.
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