As a solo business owner I've
felt stuck many times over the years.
I don't have a boss so my business and life is mine to design. This is great but it comes with hefty responsibility.
Done carefully, your life is fulfilling. But take your eye off the ball and you can slip into the sense that your business is running you. You're just going through the motions.
If this happens over a long period of time, you can easily become disengaged and powerless. Anxiety creeps in and you feel unable to move. Every decision is loaded with analysis-paralysis and fear.
You're stuck.
If this resonates, keep reading 😅
"Anything worthwhile is going to require some degree of pain and struggle" - Mark Manson, The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck
I could end this message here because the quote above captures the essence of what I'm about to say. But let me share my own experience to help bring this down to earth and apply it.
Years ago I had a "falling out" with a client. Long story short - I felt they were poor communicators and they felt I hadn't delivered on the project. We were both right. After a very awkward meeting with them, I left feeling overwhelmed, angry and fearful about what to do next.
But the truth is, I sensed the project was going wrong for a while; I just didn't acknowledge it. I buried my head in the sand. And now the client was bringing it to the surface. What was I to do?
Retreating wasn't an option - I feared a legal backlash and reputational damage.
Continuing to ignore the problem wasn't an option - the issues had now been raised.
No, it seemed the only way was through.
I had written a three month termination notice into the contract which meant I had to endure a period of stress and struggle before we could part ways.
But this situation forced me to reflect on my choices, both personal and professional. How did I let this happen? How might I have been complicit in this situation?
This experience was a catalyst for my personal growth. Since then I've gradually come around to the idea that life happens for you not to you.
There are always opportunities to see things from a new perspective.
To me, struggle is a sign of growth. If you were to distil it down, you might say that the struggle is the work. If you're not experiencing some pain, you're probably not growing.
So if you are feeling stuck right now, it's probably because you fear making a move. But know that this move is the work. The struggle that may follow is the point. It actually doesn't matter what you do; what matters is that you take some action and trust that whatever comes next is happening for you.
Integrate this belief into your thinking, and you'll feel much better when the tough times come. On the other side of the pain, is the growth.
