No matter what you do to a slinky, it will bounce right back to its original form. It stretches, it bends, it travels down stairs and can probably hit a clean milly rock on any block.
If you're not prepared to be this flexible or resilient in your pursuit of entrepreneurship, then maybe it isn't for you.
When we as entrepreneurs run into a wall, some easily break and never bounce back, abandoning business ideas and settling to "play it safe". However, success requires you to get out of your comfort zone.
Before you quit chasing your dream, give your journey in entrepreneurship an honest evaluation by answering these questions.
1.Am I In The Right Industry?
It is torture for me to watch people operate outside of their authentic selves. So many times I've seen women announce that they work in the beauty industry, but when they post pictures of their work… those pictures scream a thousand words – and beauty isn't one of them!
So my question to you is, are you doing something because it aligns with your talent and purpose? Or are you jumping on a bandwagon that you thought would take you places simply because it did for others?
I have several friends who are doing exceptionally well as hairstylists, photographers, fashion designers, and makeup artists. While I am a creative person, these jobs require a hands-on, artistic creativity that I am not qualified to charge customers for. Moral of the story? Don't go chasing waterfalls; stick to the rivers and the lakes that YOU are used to.
2.Have I Found A Solid Mentor?
Iron sharpens iron and if you want to excel in your craft, you've got to associate with people who are where you desire to be someday.
Even though friends and family mean well, they can't always pour into your vision. We live in the era of social media, so there's no excuse as to why you can't connect with a seasoned person in your field from the comfort of your home. Finding a mentor is easier than you think. Join Facebook groups that include professionals in your industry and search hashtags that are relevant to the type of people you want to commune with. It's the magic of social media!
3.Am I Overwhelmed?
Are you trying to plan a book launch, book speaking engagements, handle client invoices, diagnose website issues, design a flyer, and run your business at the same time?
You may be feeling burned out and suddenly not enthused from all the extra responsibility. Some folks can do all of these things effortlessly, but some of us (myself included) never will. That's okay because you can always outsource work to other entrepreneurs or employ interns. In addition to that, there are systems and apps to make your work life easier like Dubsado and Canva.
4.Am I Focused?
Sadly, sometimes the reason business doesn't pop the way we expect is because we're minding everyone's business except our own! When you work for yourself, there's no way to fake productivity.
You can't take 10 breaks a day, check text messages, and expect money to show up in your PayPal account. If you lack focus, you're probably lacking in finances – which means you have a hobby, not a business. To see the results you want in income, social media engagement, or event attendance, spend more time developing business and branding strategies. Friday nights will have to be sacrificed until you get things in order, but it will be all be worth it!
Originally published on CocoCurator.com.
Featured image by Getty Images