On any given weekend, you are likely to find HGTV turned on in my household. Somehow I have gotten my 2 boys, Eli and Alex, and my husband hooked on home renovation shows. [It’s the little wins in life that feel the best, right?!]. One of the shows I find most fascinating is the one where homeowners have started large DIY projects, only to realize they are in over their heads and they need to call in the professionals to fix the problem(s) they created and to get the job done right.
Let me be clear, I am not judging these homeowners. Rather, I am empathizing and relating to them. I will be the first to admit, I have attempted to be “the expert” and “figure it out on my own” many times in my life, as a business owner, a homeowner, a young professional, and definitely as a parent.
What I observe on these shows (and in my own personal experiences) is that we are often our own worst enemy.
WE are the ones who bite off more than we can chew.
WE are the ones who allow negative thoughts and worst-case-scenarios to get in the way of learning through our mistakes.
WE are the ones who give up too soon &/or too easily.
WE are the ones who tell ourselves we have to go it alone and figure it out ourselves, with only the help of an article, book, or how-to video.
Can you relate?
The Enemy Within
For entrepreneurs and leaders (and the DIY folks), it is that inner Gremlin, that inner voice, that often gets the best of us and becomes the enemy. When the excitement wears off and the hard work sets in, it can become a lonely and scary place with no end in sight. And that is when the Gremlin gets the loudest.
Sometimes it is a false sense of ability that emerges:
- I can figure this out on my own!
- All new business owners go through this phase of struggle and overwhelm – I’ve got this!
- I’ll just read another book and figure it out myself!
- I’m a hard worker; I can push myself and hold myself accountable, no problem.
Sometimes it is an overly negative voice that infiltrates every thought:
- I will never get good at this.
- My business will never make it unless I perfect this skill.
- No one can figure it out for me nor help me through it- it’s a lost cause.
- I can’t find the time or the money to hire the help I need.
Do any of these sound familiar?
The Real Deal
Let’s be honest. All of those thoughts above fall to one extreme or the other on the reality spectrum. So let’s focus on some thoughts that live in the middle, that might quiet down the Gremlin and that will serve us better as our inner voice.
- It is possible that you can do it all yourself…but not probable; and that is perfectly ok.
- Many new business owners do experience struggle and downward turns, but no one has to!
- We humans are infamous for breaking our own rules, frequently, and accepting any/all excuses we give ourselves.
- There are so many people and resources out there who can – and want – to help, and all we have to do is ask and let them in.
- Everything is figureoutable [well, almost everything.]
So, what is the enemy within telling you today? What stories are on repeat inside your head? If the Gremlin was silenced for good, what would you be able to achieve more quickly, more confidently, more easily? Most importantly, who &/or what resources are right under your nose, within an arm’s reach, that you can tap into and utilize to help you defeat the enemy and win the game of business?
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