One thing I've learned from my years in business and in helping others to start and grow their businesses is that every successful entrepreneur needs to be able to overcome common hurdles... in business and in life.
So, my beautiful friend, if you're finding yourself faced with challenges in your business, congratulations! You're one of us. 😉 Now, read on for tips on how to handle these common hiccups when you're faced with them.
Every business owner hits a wall at some point. Whether it's burnout, unmet goals or a frustrating income plateau, feeling stuck is a normal part of running a business. However, staying stuck is not.
Successful entrepreneurs find ways to overcome these hurdles and continue to grow.
The first step?
Identifying what's holding you back. Let's explore some of the more often-faced obstacles and how you can overcome common hurdles to keep your business moving forward.
Lack of Clarity
Understanding the Problem
Lack of clarity is a significant roadblock. If you're unsure about what you want from your business, who your target audience is or what your product funnel should look like, you're dealing with a lack of clarity. This uncertainty can halt your progress and leave you feeling aimless.
Solutions
- Brain Dumping: Take some time to jot down all your thoughts, ideas and goals. Seeing everything laid out can help you identify patterns and priorities.
- Seek Feedback: Talk to your clients, mentors or business peers. They can offer insights that you might have overlooked.
- Set Clear Goals: Define what success looks like for you. Whether it's a financial milestone, a number of clients or a specific project completion, having clear goals provides direction.
Lack of Focus
Understanding the Problem
Maybe you have a clear vision, but you struggle to stay on task. You start your day with a to-do list, but by lunch, you haven’t made any real progress. Lack of focus is a common issue, especially with the many distractions and responsibilities of running a business.
Solutions
- Break Down Tasks: Identify the next actionable step toward your goal. For example, if you want to create a 4-week e-course, start by polling your audience on what topics they’re interested in.
- Time Blocking: Dedicate specific times of the day to different tasks. This can help you stay on track and ensure that you’re making steady progress.
- Minimize Distractions: Create a work environment that reduces interruptions. Turn off non-essential notifications, set boundaries with family and friends and designate a specific workspace.
No Excitement
Understanding the Problem
Losing interest in your business is more common than you might think. When the initial excitement wears off, day-to-day tasks can feel monotonous. This lack of enthusiasm can lead to jumping from one business idea to another without seeing any of them through.
Solutions
- Reconnect with Your "Why": Remind yourself why you started your business in the first place. What was the passion or problem that drove you? (If you need more guidance with HOW to do this, have a look at my recent post about "What's Your WHY? Your True WHY Is The Heart Of Your Business Success".
- Incorporate New Challenges: Try new strategies, learn new skills or introduce new products or services. Keeping things fresh can reignite your passion.
- Celebrate Small Wins: Recognise and celebrate even the minor accomplishments. This can keep you motivated and can help maintain a positive outlook.
Fear of Failure
Understanding the Problem
Fear of failure can be paralysing. It can stop you from taking necessary risks and prevent you from moving forward. This fear often stems from a fear of judgment or a lack of confidence in your abilities. I'm speaking from experience here, as it's something I faced for a long time.
Solutions
- Shift Your Mindset: View failures as learning opportunities. Each setback provides valuable lessons that can help you improve.
- Build a Support System: Surround yourself with supportive people who encourage you to take risks and celebrate your efforts.
- Set Realistic Expectations: Understand that perfection is unattainable. Aim for progress, not perfection, and give yourself grace to make mistakes.
- Ask The Right Questions: When you find yourself asking, "What if it doesn't work?" immediately follow this up with the question you SHOULD be asking, which is, "What if it DOES work?"
Overwhelm
Understanding the Problem
Running a small business involves juggling many tasks, which can quickly lead to overwhelm. Feeling like there’s too much to do and not enough time can cripple your productivity.
Solutions
- Delegate: Identify tasks that can be outsourced or delegated to others, or that perhaps don't actually need to be done at all. This allows you to focus on high-priority tasks that directly impact your business growth.
- Prioritise: Focus on tasks that align with your goals. Use tools like Eisenhower’s Urgent/Important Matrix to prioritise effectively.
- Take Breaks: Regular breaks can boost productivity and reduce stress. Ensure you’re taking time to recharge. This could be a 15 minute break or regular vacations. Both are necessary to keep your mind clear and refreshed.
Vision Boards: A Powerful Tool
One effective way to overcome common hurdles is by using vision boards. They help you visualise your goals, stay focused and keep your excitement alive. I know this may sound a bit woo-woo for some, but they really do help.
Creating Your Vision Board
- Gather Materials: You’ll need a corkboard or poster board, magazines, scissors, glue and markers. Alternatively, you can create a digital vision board using online tools like Canva. Or both - whatever works best for you. 🙂
- Select Images and Quotes: Choose images and quotes that represent your goals, dreams and what inspires you. These can be related to your business, personal life or broader aspirations. What works, images and colours inspire you and make you feel good? What will give you inspiration and incentive to stay focused and on-track when you face common hurdles?
- Arrange and Display: Arrange the images and quotes on your board in a way that’s visually appealing. Place your vision board where you’ll see it daily. This constant reminder keeps your goals at the forefront of your mind.
Benefits of Vision Boards
- Clarify Your Goals: Visualising your goals can help you gain clarity on what you want to achieve.
- Stay Motivated: Seeing your dreams and aspirations displayed can reignite your passion and keep you motivated.
- Focus on Priorities: A vision board can help you stay focused on your most important goals and reduce distractions.
Feeling Stuck Sometimes Is Normal... Just Don't Stay There
By identifying what’s holding you back—whether it’s a lack of clarity, focus, excitement, fear of failure or overwhelm—you can take steps to overcome common hurdles. Tools like vision boards can provide clarity, motivation and direction.
Remember, Lovely... every successful entrepreneur faces challenges, but what sets them apart is their ability to persevere and keep moving forward. And you CAN keep moving forward. Keep pushing, stay focused and watch your business thrive.
