How to Keep Going as an Entrepreneur When Sh*t gets Tough
Entrepreneurs are a remarkable species: They jump far out of their comfort zone to follow their dreams — even if other people consider them crazy. They do things every day that others are not willing to do — even if nobody understands. They are faced with great uncertainty and sometimes even bigger risks and obstacles. But they have this innate drive to keep pushing for their dreams to come true, no matter the cost.
But sometimes, even the most driven entrepreneurs hit a wall.
A funding round falls through. A new product turns out to be a complete fail. A big client pitch is a disaster. A key employee leaves.
These things hurt. A lot.
They question the trust you have in yourself, your vision and the world.
They make you want to give up.
But don’t.
Stand up one more time and keep walking.
Here is how:
Be Kind to Yourself
Accept that you are suffering.
It doesn’t matter if it is something that happened to you or you messed up yourself — you are worthy of compassion.
Treat yourself with unconditional kindness.
Because suffering is an inevitable part of our imperfect human nature. And this makes us all inherently worthy of compassion.
Resist the urge to react with self-pity or self-punishment.
Stop the destructive behaviour and the negative self-talk and give yourself the warm, supportive care you so deeply long for in this exact moment.
Get some perspective on life
Walk in nature. Take in the immensity of the universe.
Watch a documentary about climate change or people with terminal illnesses.
Get some perspective on your problems.
This is not the end of the world.
Reconnect with your vision
You started this for a reason.
There is a purpose behind your goals. A fascination behind your plan.
Find that WHY again.
Meditate on it. See your vision.
Reconnect with your higher purpose. That larger idea that inspires you.
Change your beliefs about obstacles
The obstacle is not the problem. Your reaction to it is.
Understand that nothing valuable ever comes comfortably. It is MEANT to be hard.
You put yourself out there, you took away your ship from the harbour. You knew that you were inevitably going to face storms. Because they are part of nature.
And each one of them makes you stronger.
Find your strength amidst the storm. The silver lining in the obstacle.
Change your beliefs about failure
Failure is never fatal. It can be overcome.
It’s not a problem if you fail. It is only a problem if you don’t learn from your failure.
See failure as a setup for a comeback. Your next success.
Fall in Love with the Process again
Stop obsessing that things didn’t work out as you think they would.
Let go of the outcome and focus on the process.
Because the journey is the destination.
Remember that you are running a marathon, not a sprint.
There is no such thing as an overnight success.
And success is never about a single grand action. It is about consistent, compounded effort.
It’s about stamina, not intensity.
So don’t forget to love what you are doing and have fun on the journey.
Because the present moment is all you’ll ever have.
And you are in for the long run.
Listen to your Heart
There is no way to know if this will work.
But you have to keep going anyway.
Trust yourself and be willing to do whatever it takes to succeed.
But don’t be stubborn. There is a fine line between perseverance and stubbornness.
Check your results — see if what you are doing is working.
And if not, adapt your strategy. Your approach. Your mindset.
But don’t change your vision.
Stay committed to your goals.
But keep an open mind.
And listen to your heart.
Need more Motivation?
Download the 6 best persistence quotes as a printable pdf! Hang them on your wall. Stick them on your fridge. Put them in your journal. Take them wherever you need them.
Download them here: http://bit.ly/persistencequotes
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