Not sure if you’ve noticed, but lately it feels like everything is up in the air and in flux.
Just kidding- of course you’ve noticed, it’s nearly impossible not to unless you are completely off the grid and disconnected from the world (which is not a bad place to be if you are, but you probably also aren’t reading this if that’s the case!).
And it can get quickly overwhelming and leave you feeling like you’re behind (I’m not using AI enough yet!) or lost (I have no idea how I’m supposed to be using AI) and ultimately defeated (finally got past tariffs and now gas prices are killing us, when does it end?).
It’s a lot to deal with on any level, but as a business owner, you have additional burdens to consider- taking care of customers, employees, and keeping things all running at a level that doesn’t leave you broke or broken.
I get it, I am subject to the same concerns and considerations, and can also let myself get overwhelmed and feeling negative if I’m not careful.
But I have learned a few things over the years that have helped.
Check out what else we’ve been up to!
- Matt Reviews: Is This Advice for Making $10K/Month Actually Helpful? (Short Video)
- Matt Reviews: How to React to a Bad Manager (Short Video)
- Matt Reviews: 3 Development Tips to Guarantee Success (Short Video)
- Business for sale, Would I Buy It? | Electrical Service Company (Short Video)
- The Very Best Small Business Lead Generation Method (Podcast)
First thing is, even though it might feel like this is “worse than ever” or more than we’ve had to deal with in the past, it’s really not. Things are always uncertain, technology is always changing, world events are always barging in and throwing a wrench in things.
That doesn’t help in the sense that if you are wishing for a return to normal, then you’re probably not remembering how it really was. Not long ago, there was a global pandemic that shut large parts of the world down. Before that, there was a global financial crisis, and before that was 9/11. In between those events, all kinds of other calamities happened. Chaos and upheaval are kind of always going on; it just varies how much it impacts you directly.
So, how does that help? I guess for me it just means that I try not to let any one thing take up too much space in my head. Because there will always be another one, and the one in front of us will soon be the one behind us.
All you can do as an individual and business owner is deal with what’s directly in front of you and the things you can control. There will be good times and bad times, and we generally can’t predict either or control how long they last or when they start or stop. Therefore, worrying about them isn’t very productive since you have no say in it.
The flip side of this- feeling like you are lost because all kinds of things are happening you have no control over- is that you can help yourself feel better and on more stable footing by simply focusing on what you can control and dealing with that.
As a business owner, making sure your customers are well taken care of and getting the best possible results from you gives you something to focus on that you can control. Likewise, you can focus on supporting and empowering employees and making sure your business is running as smoothly as possible, with any friction points you identify being addressed.
If you work on making everything you do as good as it can be, it serves two purposes.
One, it makes your business as impervious to downturns and negative outside events as possible because you’ll remain the first choice of the customers out there even when others are struggling or falling off.
Two, it helps keep your mind from spending too much time dwelling on those things you can’t do anything about and spiraling down into depression and feeling powerless.
The world is a messy and chaotic place, and it will continually throw you challenges and surprises. The best thing you can do is ignore the noise and focus on the things within your control that you can work to improve and grow. This not only makes things better for you but also restores a sense of control and agency in your life it can be easy to lose.
It also helps if you limit yourself to checking the news (including social media!) once a day for ten minutes or less. 🙂