In Alan M Weber’s Rules of Thumb: 52 Truths for Winning at Business Without Losing Your Self, rule number 36 is: Managing your emotional flow is more critical than managing your cash flow. I had to write about this because I see and meet with entrepreneurs all the time that do a poor job of managing their emotions. Cash was king until I understood what an entrepreneur goes through, and if an entrepreneur really made cash king they would not succeed.
As a small business owner you must focus on your goal, your vision of where the company is going. If you don’t do everything in your power to get there (and that may be going into a pile of debt) you may never achieve your goal. There are a thousand and one things an entrepreneur needs to manage but without keeping your emotions in check everything else falls apart.
Tips on keeping your emotions in check:
- Hire a coach or get a mentor and talk about it
- Identify your emotional triggers and be aware when you may be susceptible to an outburst
- Ensure you have some “you” time in a day (Workout, play a sport, get a hobby) do something that will make your mind relax where you won’t think about work
- Have fun at work, it’s the easiest way to put yourself and those around you in a great mood
Finally I believe Van Wilder said it best; “Worrying is like rocking in a rocking chair, sure it gives you something to do for a while but it doesn’t get you anywhere”.
