As we launch into 2023, many of us have big goals for who we will become, what we will achieve, and what success will look like by the end of the year.
These aspirational ideals propel us to show up every day with intention and discipline … to work diligently towards our goals.
However, in our pursuit of success, we will encounter resistance. It’s not a question of if but when.
So, in preparing for an exceptional year … the question becomes …
How do we react when something in our life or business doesn’t go exactly as intended?
Maybe a raise didn’t go as planned, a member of your team moved-on, or an investor backed out of a deal …
As leaders and entrepreneurs, we’ve all been there. We can’t control every challenge, wrong turn, and plot-twist that happens in life and business.
That said, what we can control is the meaning we give them. If we treat everyday obstacles as day, week, or even year-ruining events, we allow them to linger. And the load becomes heavier to carry.
When we react to difficult situations with complaints, helplessness, and blame-shifting, we are choosing to participate in a self-destructive, productivity-crushing pattern of negative thinking.
There’s no undo button on life. Feeling sorry for ourselves and focusing on limiting beliefs does nothing to improve, much less reverse the situation. It’s simply a waste of energy we could be using towards making forward progress.
Instead, if we shift our mindset and begin looking at the situation as a learning opportunity, we open ourselves up to the solutions and lessons it has to offer.
Hindsight is 20/20 … So while we can’t change what happened, we now have the perspective and power to help prevent it from becoming a recurring issue.
Let’s consider the team member that moved on for example …
We get it … Turnover is a lot of extra work. And money. You could choose to go into a downward spiral of blame, guilt and self-pity. But what good would that do? Not much!
How can you take what you know now and grow from it? Why did this person leave? Were they overwhelmed? Was it a poor culture fit?
If overwhelm is an issue, maybe providing additional training or stepping up your onboarding would be helpful. Or if they weren’t a fit for the job it could be an indicator that better hiring and screening practices need to be established.
Even if it was a personal issue that had nothing to do with you or your organization at all, you can use the loss as a chance to become better prepared for future unexpected turnover … Like making sure SOPs are up to date, implementing cross-training, etc.
Now, if you develop an action plan for improvement you’ll (hopefully) see less turnover … And when it does happen you’ll have a plan in place so you’re not caught off guard.
That’s all MUCH more productive than wallowing and sulking over the whole thing, right?!
It’s all about perspective. So next time you find yourself reacting negatively when you’re in a tough spot, try shifting your perspective to the lesson being gained.
This simple mindset shift is sure to lead to more success, happiness, and motivation … And keep you on track towards achieving your goals in 2023!
For help managing the unexpected in your business ...
Staci Gray has over two decades of experience organizing real-world businesses to scale. She puts an emphasis on quickly collapsing the gap between ideas and profits by persistently executing for progress and results. Staci envisions a world where innovative leaders are no longer trapped by operational chaos and instead are empowered to efficiently and effectively solve real-world problems, impact real-people on a human level and generate profits quickly. Staci loves coming alongside mission-driven leaders who are using their ideas, influence and intellect to build successful businesses and empowering them to scale without losing their sanity, compromising their values, sacrificing their relationships, and drowning in operational chaos. Supporting leaders one business at a time!
