Your Business Problems Are Probably All In Your Head

Jamie Moran
Aug 23, 2017 · 6 min read

You’re heard the expression, “One man’s trash is another man (or woman)’s treasure.

Why is it some people who are born into poverty and harsh circumstances turn to a life of crime and violence, while others create lasting movements and works of art and peace?

Why do some kids with weight problems and physical issues become professional athletes, while others who are totally physically capable have absolutely no drive or confidence to compete?

Why do some business owners struggle while others thrive?

Every business has its weaknesses and its shortcomings. Different forces like competition moving in, the market drying up as new technologies are rapidly adopted, even governmental barriers and outsourcing making it impossible for some to compete on a global scale. These are all excellent reasons to throw in the towel, claim business is too hard, that there are just too many issues to deal with in business. Business is hard, it’s a waste of time, and it “kicked my ass.”

At the same time, those challenging circumstances are what another entrepreneur actually needs to drive them to compete, drive them to identify a tighter market niche, make them find creative ways around imposed barriers, and ultimately hustle until they succeed.

That’s because the first business owner in this example, the one who gave up — gave up because they put the power into the externalities. The second entrepreneur however, they realized that they had everything they needed to succeed inside themselves, and no external issue that came forward would hold them back if they truly had set their intention dial to “success”.

Your business problems aren’t external.

They’re not even real.

Your business problems are probably only in your head.

This is good and bad news.

The good news is, if you’re experiencing a problem in your business, you can control it.

For example, if you are having revenue issues, or if you are having trouble finding the right team, or if you can’t quite seem to get to your next level, it’s very likely that you will be able to find a solution if you are committed and passionate enough to do so.

The bad news is for you to make a change in your business, you’re going to have to learn how to control it.

Here are a few ways for you to turn your problems, which are really just challenges, into assets for you to get to your next level.

1) Reframe your challenges as opportunities

Look at problems in your business as good things. If you’re not having issues or challenges, you’re not trying hard enough. I was working with a client earlier this month who I coached on how to launch her brand new restaurant design and branding company. She easily got her first contract in a matter of days — in fact the client pounced on it immediately, without any hesitation.

While I was excited for her to have built up such rapid momentum, I asked her the question, “Do you think you charged enough?” The look on her face was startled laughing realization. By shying away from the possibility of a good challenge (i.e.: being somewhat uncomfortable about asking a fair price for her services), she left a huge chunk of cash on the table. Had she been more willing to reframe the challenge of having a potentially awkward conversation about sales objections as an opportunity for her own growth, she might have been able to double her price, and retained an equally happy client.

2) Remove the doubt

Doubt is the silent killer that creeps in and dismantles the progress you’re building when growing your company. Doubt about the market, doubt about your abilities, doubt you should even be in business in the first place. Removing doubt is critical — yet it’s difficult to do, and even more difficult to do well.

The best thing to do if you are feeling doubt about any decision you have made, or need to make, is to lay out your choices objectively, and gauge them against rational criteria based on the outcomes you want to see in your business.

For example, if your primary goal is to create sustainable monthly revenue without relying on ongoing sales conversations, then you need to implement some sort of recurring revenue system like a continuity program or membership. Any decision that does not satisfy this requirement is no longer valid for the time being. Of course, there are usually multiple variables in these criteria, but you get the picture.

It’s often a good idea to retain a business coach you trust to help you with these types of decisions. One good decision early in the game will save you huge headache and money down the road.

3) Reveal your clarity

Clarity is sometimes though of something that you have to get to, by finding some way to “add more clarity.” This is actually the opposite of how clarity works. Think about it. If you have a telescope and you’re looking at the moon, it’s because the lens is clear. However, if it has a smudge on it, what do you do? You remove the smudge. You can’t ADD clarity to your telescope, clarity is gained by removing the distorting body.

In business, you’ve already got clarity. However, that clarity can sometimes be lost by adding on too many features, or trying to reach too many markets, or by putting too much on your plate.

The name of the game here is to simplify. Stop adding. Start removing. You’ll be amazed at how powerful the subtraction of distractions can be to bring “new” clarity “back” into your business.

4) Regain your confidence

Confidence is the precursor to momentum. If you are having a lack of confidence in your business, then what you need to do is identify where that confidence breakdown is occurring, and find some alternate way to re-invigorate it.

If you are having confidence issues around sales, then find some proxy to sell. Start with something small. Get some micro-commitment. Remind yourself of all the times you were able to convince someone of an idea you had. A sale is a sale, even if no money changed hands. By aligning yourself with the feeling having already successfully done the thing you’re having trouble with, you’ll be able to access the confidence you had then and dive into it in real time.

5) Refocus your trajectory

If you do all 4 steps, you’ll free up a lot of momentum towards your goal. Make sure that each time you have a win and get some confidence, you map it out so you can re-leverage it.

But the most important thing is once you actually do reframe your challenges, remove your doubt, reveal your clarity and regain your confidence, that you re-establish what your primary outcome is. Restate your goal. Keeping a solid intention on the outcome you want to experience will set you up in a cycle of personal accountability, and keep your business on track and moving forward.

If you are still having trouble moving through challenges in your business, it may be because there is something deeper going on. I call these inner blocks, and they are programs that could be taking you off track. I’ve created a free guide for you to check out if so.

Jamie Moran is a business consultant who specializes in helping new entrepreneurs, freelancers and creatives identify what really drives them, overcome their challenges and rapidly launch their businesses.

Learn more about his system, The Driving Force Blueprint at www.drivingforceblueprint.com

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