When You're Feeling Stuck....

Ever reached the limit of inspiration and action in your business and yet nothing seems to work? Well you are not alone. At some point many entrepreneurs feel stuck.

Maybe you’ve tried every marketing technique in the book and still seen no increase in clients; or your business revenue is ticking along but you can’t step up to the next level; or you just can’t break out of trading time for money to create new income streams.

It’s very frustrating when even time, money and effort fail to show any immediate results.

So if you need to move out of this groove and get the energy flowing read on….

Are you working on the wrong problem? In today’s time-pressured world, we too often feel we must solve problems immediately. What this means, in practice, is we take a quick look at what appears to be getting in the way, and jump straight to a solution.

By taking time to explore the apparent challenge, and what lies behind it, one of two things will happen:

1. The real issue turns out to be something completely different;
2. One particular aspect emerges as the best place to start.

In order to really unpack the problem, keep asking ‘why’ questions. For example:

My revenue has fallen ten percent in the last six months…

Why? Sales have dropped.
Why? I relied too heavily on repeat businessr
Why? I didn’t have enough new clients lined upr
Why? I didn’t generate enough client opportunities.

It might be possible to go further, just to make sure the problem does not lie in an even more focused area:

Why? I am better at maintaining relationships than finding new clientsr
Why? I haven’t developed the necessary skills

By doing this, you may have uncovered some new and important aspects. In the example we have been working through, starting with the problem ‘revenue has fallen’ could lead to all kinds of knee-jerk reactions; after some simple analysis, however, a more effective – and probably simpler – solution is likely to emerge. Such as learning new skills and prioritising new clients.

Stop and take stock. Sometimes just taking time out from your working day can be enough to gain a different perspective. A few hours away from your desk doing something unrelated to your work, such as walking, reading, listening to music, gives you a chance to switch off and let your subconscious mind work away in the background.

Or escape for a few days – my favourite is to book myself into a spa and allow my body and brain to relax. I find that’s when creative solutions start to flow.

Change your environment and shift your thinking. Take your laptop and work in a different space such as a coffee shop or library, or, if you work from home, another part of the house. It’s easy to get into old ways of thinking which can be reinforced by the places we habitually work in. Being in a different setting may spark new thoughts, feelings and ideas.

Lastly, just remember that business has its own rhythm and like nature’s seasons change will happen. It may be that a particular lull is the perfect opportunity to take time out and plant new seeds for the next stage of growth; perhaps by acquiring new information, changing focus and renewing your energy and intention.