How to Overcome Obstacles in Your Business and Build More Confidence

​Obstacles are part of life, so it stands to reason that they also play a role in business. Every business owner has encountered obstacles at some point in the course of running their business, and there’s no denying these obstacles can take a toll on our self confidence. As business owners, our business is so much more than just a job - it’s who we are, so when things don’t go well in our business, it can be tempting to fall into the trap of believing our lives are over.

​I’m here to tell you that, not only is your life not over just because you hit a bump in the road, but that you can use that bump to grow and become a better business owner. Here’s what you can do to make that happen:

Breathe

The first thing you need to do is take a breath. When things go wrong, we tend to go into fight-or-flight mode, and that’s not a productive mindset. So start by taking some deep breaths and try to clear your head. Meditate for a few minutes if that’s your thing. You can even take a break from your business for a day or two to reset so you can come back smarter and stronger than ever.

​Assess the Situation

​Obstacles met and mistakes made can be great learning opportunities, but you can only learn from them if you take the time to stop and examine what happened. Where did you go wrong? How can you do better next time?

​It’s possible you didn’t do anything wrong and the situation was completely out of your control. The pandemic shutting everything down last year is a perfect example of things going wrong without warning, and there was nothing any small business owner could have done about it.

​You should also try to assess the situation from every angle. How can you overcome this obstacle? Can you make it work to your advantage? What do you need to be successful in this situation? Going back to step one and taking some time to breathe and step away from your business for a little while can help you with this step because it will allow you to come back to the situation with fresh eyes, which leads me to my next point...

​Get a Fresh Perspective

​One of the hardest things for business owners to learn is that we don’t have all the answers. An obstacle that has us completely baffled might be overcome by someone else who has a different way of looking at things. Sometimes it can help just to talk things over with a sympathetic friend or spouse, preferably another business owner so they can commiserate and share their own war stories.

​Hire a Business Coach

​As a business coach with decades of experience in marketing and project management, I’ve been there and seen that when it comes to just about anything the business world can throw at us. If you need someone to guide you through the obstacles and provide that fresh perspective on everything you encounter in your business, it might be time for you to schedule a FREE clarity call to see if coaching is right for you.