Transforming Setbacks into Opportunities to Level Up
"While you're in the muck, you have to choose to stop spinning. You have to move to the solution, and you have to find the inspiration during the crappy parts.” Amber Weyrauch
Don’t worry about sounding professional. Sound like you. There are over
As a business owner and the team lead of a social media and digital marketing agency, I understand that entrepreneurship is not always easy. In fact, there are times that business owner ship could easily be classified as the hardest thing I’ve ever done.
One of the hardest things to deal with is when you feel that things are moving along smoothly and then suddenly you hit an obstacle. It could be small, or it could be large, but no matter the size it undoubtedly catches you off guard and easily stops you in your tracks.
I found myself there a few months ago.
I was in a season with my business, Socially Inspired Management, where we were building structures, putting standard operating procedures in place and refining our systems to create a better client experience. And then BAM! Setback, after setback, after setback.
I truthfully felt as if the wind had been knocked out of me. And I spent many nights awake, reevaluating, questioning, worrying, spinning.
It was at coincidently at the same time I had just started working with a new one-on-one coach. And I am so thankful for that timing. She was a fantastic voice to help me stop the spin and to move to action instead.
Through this season I learned so much and ultimately I am so glad I went through it. Not only did it help me take some hard looks at my business and decide to make some shifts and changes, it also helped me set into motion the things I needed to ELEVATE my business practices. For myself, for my team, for my clients.
Here are the things I learned that helped me level up despite the setbacks:
Do not stay in it alone. You need voices that can speak into the situation and AGAINST the lies you are hearing in your head. Safe voices. Voices that will ask questions, encourage and support. This can be a colleague, a friend, a coach. But find your people! (Check out this blog on 7 Voices Every Entrepreneur Needs).
Look for the lesson. Choosing to stay stuck is wasting the opportunity to learn. To level up. To get better. Asking yourself how this current setback helps to serve your future self shifts the focus from “poor me” to “let’s grow and evolve”.
Implement the changes that are needed to avoid this spot again. They say the definition of insanity is to keep doing the same things over and over and expecting different results. And that also applies to NOT doing something and expecting to not experience the same issues popping up. Take action and put into place the things that will keep you from having to go through this again and again.
Set you boundaries…AND maintain them. In my situation, I found myself in this tough spot because I struggled with saying “No”. I learned that boundaries are not just important for ME but for my clients as well. And through the setbacks I quickly discovered the parameters I needed to put into place for my business.
All of these were important lessons that have now shaped how I run my business and how I will manage setbacks in the future (because let’s be honest, they will happen!).
Check out the full episode on Transforming Setbacks into Opportunities to Level Up on The Inspired Biz. And if you are ready to level up your social media management or virtual assistant business, schedule your free consultation call with me here.
