In an instant, you can experience an incredible turn of events. Things can occur that will change a moment, an hour, a week or a life. It’s how you react when you are down and getting kicked that will determine how you will eventually succeed.

It doesn’t take much to shake off a bad situation, like getting fired, dumped or getting a flat tire (to say the least).  It really doesn’t.  Take a moment to do the following:
1. Analyze the situation
2. Get some answers
3. and figure out your next steps

Your ‘next steps’ is the action item.  It is what you do, when you do it that will get you to your feet again.  But you must act, and act fast. Make a clear decision and go with it. It will all work itself out, as long as you stick to your plan.  If that plan doesn’t work, go back to step one and start over again.  Ask yourself:

1. Why didn’t it work the first time?
2. What can I do to make it work?
3. How much time will this take me?

If the effort outweighs the benefit then you need to get more answers to some questions.  Don’t sweat over the small stuff. Think big picture. All the little things will fall into place as you work on the big picture items.

What have you done to quickly overcome a nasty situation?

It is tough being an entrepreneur. Some days are amazing. While others you just want to crawl under a rock and stay there – forever.  I, at the moment, am experiencing what Mark Suster calls the terror in starting something new (On the other end of the pendulum is euphoria).

As you may come to understand or have already experienced, there are a billion different emotions that overcome entrepreneurs at the best of times and at the worst of times. Anxiety, stress, euphoria, happiness, accomplishment, … all in a given week. It is not ever constant or consistent.  Today for example, I had one client terminate a contract, another client say “I don’t think we can pay your invoice’, and another client wanting more for FREE!  Oh, and the cherry on the top, our top designer is too busy doing her own thing to focus on our work at the moment.

Where to find comfort?  It’s knowing you’re not alone and talking to other entrepreneurs who have been there too. A good friend of mine today said to me “I know exactly how you are feeling today, as I went through that a few years ago. I forgot how hard it can be. Just know that now is NOT the time to give up. You can’t give up. Your business partner relies on you. People expect great things from you. You will get through this”.

Well, sure. Sounds possible.  But where is the light at the end of the tunnel?  These damn Ramen noodles are getting gross and I am sick of drinking the cheap beer.

These damn Ramen noodles are getting gross and I am sick of drinking the cheap beer.

Again, I chose this route. I chose this lifestyle. I chose freedom over having a boring job helping someone else get rich.

What I have learned is simple and easy to remember:

1. Your business partner can easily comfort you in chatting about how/why you feel the way you do.
2. Moms DONT always know best. Try to keep family out of the tricky conversations. Chat to them when you think there is something they can help you with. But avoid too many negative conversations [They'll get worried]
3. It will pass, as long as you keep on going. Don’t Stop!
4. Books, podcasts, audio books, webinars, and events can help you through the emotions. Think about how bad some entrepreneurs had it, and they overcame it. [FedEx is a great example. The founder had to gamble everything he had in order to win enough money to pay his employees wages]
5.  Start working out more. A little sweat releases those fancy endorphins that make you happy.
6. Find your source of inspiration [Mine happens when I'm in the shower and getting ready in the morning. Hence why I have an excessively long grooming schedule ... half the time I am emailing or jotting down my ideas]
7. It’s life. Suck it up!
8. It was never meant to be easy. If it is easy, you are doing something wrong.
9. Think about everything you have learned and have yet to learn.
10. Smile
11. Have a beer (The good stuff)

As this will pass, so will the good times. Just F****** deal with it and move on.
I did.