Weathering Unpredictability in Your Business
I don't know what the weather is like where you live, but where I am at, the nights and mornings have been down right chilly lately. When I crawl into bed, the windows are open and the ceiling fan is on, but midway through the night I am desperate for more blankets to get warm. When the alarm clock goes off, I don't want to crawl out from under the blankets because it is cold! However, I know in a few short hours, as soon as the sun comes up, the temperature will rise as the day gets underway.
Business can be just as unpredictable as the weather. When you are in charge of your own income, either through a commissioned position or by owning your own business, unpredictability is certain, but certainly not welcomed. Just like the weather, the temperature fluctuates and the pressure changes given the "season" of our business.
It's never fun to weather a storm or a bitterly cold snap. It's tempting to reinvent our business or our approach to business when we experience these sharp dips or dark skies. We begin rethinking why and what are we doing, what needs to change, how do we not get into this spot again. These are all valid fears and concerns, but not the best way to weather the change.
When the skies open up and unleash a thunderstorm, you don't rethink where you live. You don't pack up the kids, the dog and move off to another house simply because your's is now wet. Between seasons, when the weather gets wonky and one day its sunny and 70 and then the next day it is 40 and frigid, you don't decide to board up your windows and barricade yourself in front of your fireplace. No, you know the temperatures will even out and the storms are only temporary.
We have to have the same approach in our business. Yes, there may be rough weather and dark skies - there's really no maybe about it. We all will experience those days and weeks with no sales and no growth. But stay the course. Don't jump ship.
One way I encourage my coaching clients to stay focused on their destination is by creating a visual reminder of what they are working for. A poster, a picture, or a symbol of some sort is great reminder of the bigger purpose.
It's easy to lose perspective when the rain is falling hard and fast, but when you can see your work is meant for more than just today, more than just a dollar, and more than just a job -- then you can plant your feet on the ground, turn your face to the wind and stand confidently, riding the storm out.
#liverevised
Follow Christie online at www.revisionforwomen.com and on Facebook.
-- This feed and its contents are the property of The Huffington Post, and use is subject to our terms. It may be used for personal consumption, but may not be distributed on a website.