In the weight loss world, when all progress comes to a sudden halt, it is referred to as a plateau. In the business world, “plateaus” come in many shapes and forms. Your business’ progress can come to a sudden screeching halt even though you haven’t changed a thing. When the issue is financial, merchants can get a cash advance even with a history of bad credit. But what about when the obstacle is a mental one?
- Examine your mindset. Many entrepreneurs become stuck because they are holding themselves back. They are simply not ready to grow. Fear of the unknown has held many an entrepreneur back from discovering what they and their business are capable of. Some common fears include: fear of success, fear people will not like you if you’re too successful or fear of changing the comfortable situation you already have.
These thoughts are nothing to be ashamed of, they are actually very common. It is safe to say that the majority, if not all, of entrepreneurs have encountered mental blocks such as these. Mental blocks that threatened to stunt their business’ growth. The difference is that the world’s most successful entrepreneurs were able to push past these mental blocks and conquer them.
One great way to work through mental blocks is to open a new Word doc or grab a piece of paper and start writing. Start writing anything and everything that comes to mind. Commonly used by prose writers to brainstorm new ideas and plots, this technique is called freewriting. It allows an individual to re-energize thought processes. While they may feel like random, insignificant thoughts at first, new ideas will soon begin to flow.
- What is required for growth? Once you have conquered your mental blocks, you must move on to the next step – determine what you must do to grow. If you cannot pin point what steps you must take for your business to grow and thrive, you will not get very far. This is where a mentor can be incredibly helpful. Gleaning ideas and tips from those who have reached the same goals you are aspiring to reach can make all the difference. In the words of Entrepreneur.com, “Break down what makes their ideas work, gain inspiration from their theories, then slowly create your own ways of doing things or understanding different concepts”.
- Be persistent. If you have conquered your mental blocks and completed your research, don’t be discouraged if you are still stuck in a plateau. As they say, the darkest hour is just before the dawn. The most uncomfortable and confusing moments happen right before a breakthrough.
Taking time to step back can help you gain clarity and perspective on the root cause of your mental block. Once you are able to recognize it, you can decide what it is you must do or change to move forward more efficiently in the future. Consider the wise words of Henry Ford, “One of the greatest discoveries a man makes, one of his great surprises, is to find he can do what he was afraid he couldn’t do”.