Start Facing Challenges Instead of Running Away (You’re Not Failing)

As entrepreneurs — and humans — we will each have our own definition of success. For some, it will be financial-based and for others it might be a feeling they get from achieving certain goals. Either way, whatever your version of success looks like, you’re going to have to face many challenges in order to achieve it.

It seems as though one of the “rights of passage” we entrepreneurs face is learning to overcome obstacles. Either we do it, or we give up and head back to square one to try, try again. But if being an entrepreneur was meant to be easy, everyone would be one, right?

Well, that’s why we’re presented with challenges: they can be viewed as a great willpower test to see who is really cut out for this business, as it isn’t for the faint of heart.

Do you remember the feeling you had when you overcame a challenge that you never thought you’d be able to accomplish?

That sense of being on top of the world and that nothing can hold you back … until the next challenge popped up to say “hello!”. But that’s what a lot of this journey looks like, and we feel that’s also a main reason many of us stick it out for as long as we do, as we embrace the challenges that come, and we do our happy dance once we conquer them! It’s sort of like running a relay race in that when it’s your turn you need to push as hard as you can and go as fast as you can, then once you get through your hurdles you can relax a bit until the next time.

Pushing through challenges will often bring a relief afterwards that’ll allow you to recover and regroup, making you stronger and more prepared for the next challenge.

Now, your challenges might appear in a variety of ways and might not be super obvious at first. Some may leave you in tears, others might leave you feeling stuck, frustrated, and overwhelmed. But how we deal with these challenges will decide the fate of our business. If you truly believe in what you’re doing, then you need to find a way to work through your obstacle(s) and move forward.

This might mean having a brainstorming session, talking it through with a fellow entrepreneur, journaling, or putting the problem on the back burner for a few days so that you can let the ideas fester in your mind.

The latter might seem a bit like you’re ignoring the problem, but there’s something to be said for letting your subconscious work through your struggles for you. You might be surprised at the ideas that stem from not actively thinking about it day in and day out.

That being said, we encourage you to begin goal setting (if you haven’t already!) and keeping some of your goals visible in your workspace. Whether they’re on your computer or plastered on your walls, having them in the forefront of your mind will encourage you to problem solve more thoroughly. If you’re currently working through a problem that might repeat itself down the road, document how you worked through this one and make a “blueprint” so next time you can simply follow the motions and save yourself some time and stress and headaches.

Having problems or challenges in your business doesn’t mean you’re doing something wrong or that you’re failing – it simply means that you’re human and that your business is evolving! They will not only help your business grow, but the more they’re embraced, the more your mind will realize that it can conquer them easier than the last time. Embrace your challenges and watch your business thrive! And remember, powerful and effective change comes from inside so if one only focuses on the world outside, one will never unearth, nurture and realize the goals one truly desires …!