“Anxiety is living in the future while worry is living in the past.”
Brandon Vaughn said this at the AGS live event. He was talking to a group of entrepreneurs and business owners. I can tell you, I have felt this feeling. From my experience with coaching several business owners throughout this last year, everyone has felt this overwhelming, panicked feeling of the world crashing down on you. Challenges or roadblocks that happen, cause us to either worry about past actions or be anxious about future actions.
It doesn’t matter if you are a seasoned business owner or if you are just entering into the world of entrepreneurship, there most likely will be a time when you feel that panic for something that is outside your control. For myself, even if the business is going perfect for this season, there are still things that come up outside of my control that create this mind-numbing challenge that appears to be insurmountable. It could appear within your family life, your personal life, or in one of your friends’ life.
Here is the first step in beginning to get help taming that challenge and those panicked feelings.
Write down the situation or challenge.
When a challenge is present to us, our minds are amazing tools. The challenge with my mind is that it simultaneously thinks about every challenge I have in front of me and all of the extreme possible outcomes, no matter their logical conclusion. I have a difficult time separating what is logical and what is extreme. Do you have the same? We are all created differently and will be at various levels. Some have clinical anxiety and should seek professional help. Some are like me where it is impossible to define and focus on the facts unless they are written down in front of me. Take this first step and write it out.
Once you have written down the challenge, now you can get to work on overcoming the challenge facing you. Following the process will take you down the path to a solution.
1. Write down at least three solutions you can do.
This begins the process of thinking on how to solve and start the action to overcoming, rather than running in circles within your mind on different possibilities. Action gives most business owners a sense of doing and accomplishing. This is what we are inclined to gravitate towards. Action, even imperfect action, will start us on the path to overcoming our challenges.
Jim Rohn says to focus on this question, “What can I do?” What are three things that you can do to solve the challenge that is in front of you at this time? Once you have them written down you may find that you are unable to solve or overcome the challenge.
2. Find a written source.
There are volumes written on every challenge that we could ever face. Finding information is now easier than ever. As you do the search for books, articles, or short blog posts, you may find that some writers you will resonate with, while others just don’t seem to relate to your life perspective. There are so many examples that we have, some are given to use as an example (do what they do) while others are given to us as warnings (don’t do what they did). Use your own discernment when choosing your source. There are many incredible teachers and trainers, but there are also those that are not writing out of the personal experience.
3. Rely on your network.
Who do you know that you can ask for help? It is absolutely critical for your growth to build out your own network. Building your network isn’t just about finding people that are in your current place, it is about finding those that have an understanding of what we are dealing with. Those that are just a little further along in the journey as well as those that are in a similar situation. This type of network often takes years to develop and is possibly your greatest asset in growing in your personal and business life.
Quick Tip: Find two or three trusted mentors that will help you see a larger future than you can see for yourself. Find a coach that will work with you on the skills needed to grow into that bright future. Find two or three supports that want that success for you as much as you do. This is a great place to start to grow your network.
Once you have built your network you will find that they are able to see the blind spots you missed while you were thinking or working on your solutions. If you have built this correctly, you will find that your network will push you to be more, they will hold you accountable for your actions and words.
We were never meant to live our lives in isolation. Living life together is more powerful than attempting to overcome roadblocks and challenges. A word of caution though, be careful who is in your network. Choose wisely, as they will have a direct impact on the life you will live.