Keeping going

Success in business seems to be characterised by a refusal to give up. People who do well have often had very difficult moments. Such people seem to be able to see what others would perceive as failure as merely temporary setbacks or as the need to change direction.

For the rest of us, who don’t feel supreme confidence at all times, we can learn from this approach.

How to stay the course

• Realise that success takes time. Most businesses will not see much of a profit for the first 6-12 months, so don’t despair if you haven’t made your fortune by the end of month 3.
• See everything, especially the bad things, as an opportunity to learn. Think about what you will do differently next time and don’t give yourself a hard time for making mistakes.
• When business is quiet, see this as an opportunity to do more marketing or catch up with people that you haven’t seen for a while. Stay active all the time, and especially meeting new people and networking.
• Keep up a positive front. If people perceive you as successful, then success will follow.
• Know where it is safe to admit your vulnerabilities and where to turn for advice. Get yourself a business advisor, or a trusted friend who can help you to see the real picture and give you a chance to voice your doubts.

What to do when things seem especially difficult

• Write a list of all the good things in your life. No matter how bad things are, we can all think of at least 5 good things, and this simple exercise can dramatically change your perception of how things really are.
• Read biographies, case studies, business guides so that you can learn from others.
• Think “what’s the worst that can happen?” Few of us are working in areas where the consequences for mistakes are catastrophic, so just get on with the next thing that needs to be done.

“Many of life’s failures are people who did not realize how close they were to success when they gave up.”
– Thomas Edison

If you’re having difficulty keeping going with your business, and want to talk things over with Julia Chanteray of The Joy of Business, please get in touch.

Photo credits to Shirly Niv Marton and Juan Gomez on Unsplash