It can be so easy to listen to the wrong people can’t it? The naysayers, the doom mongers or general energy sappers?
Surely being successful in business is about having the energy and inspiration to find your way through when things get tough? And believe me I know how difficult that can be. But when things get tough, I think we often get into a downward spiral by listening to people who are going through a tougher time than ourselves and letting them drag us down.
What we really need to do is spend time around people who can help us get back on our feet, inspire us to reconnect with our businesses and just crack on with everything.
I was talking to a client last week whose business is going through a tough time. He is a tree surgeon and things are less than booming. He still has a full complement of staff, is working hard to generate more business and is finding as much for his team to do as possible. But it’s hard. It’s nerve wracking, depressing and draining. And it can feel like you’re working twice as hard as normal and you’re still sliding backwards.
Apparently other local tree surgeons are down to 3 days a week. They’re laying off staff and it seems inevitable to my client that things are on the decline. But this is precisely the problem with hanging around with the wrong people isn’t it? They encourage you to see the world through their eyes, you adopt a defeatist attitude and before you know it, your business needs to cut it’s staff back to three days a week too.
I’m not doubting the fact that it’s tough. And tough times don’t just affect us business owners financially. This is personal. But we have to find a way to stay inspired and make the most of the opportunities don’t we? And there are opportunities out there, even if we have to work that bit harder to find them.
What do you think?
Absolutely Fiona
Yes, there are challenges around – but also great opportunities.
One example of this is the local networking group I’m starting in Cobham this month, I’ve heard from the naysayers telling me about why I can’t do it and how it’s the wrong time.
But they forget that the group originally started during a recession, specifically to help local business work together to find business for each other.
(in fact, I’m working on it at the moment – at 10:30pm on a Sunday, and have been today!)
James
You are right. It is tough but you can be drag by the negative flow or just keep focus and learn from it. There are many things out of our control, but if we moan and just talk about the tough times like if they were a course we will only dig a hole and go nowhere.