Four steps to end the overwhelm created by a step change in growth in your business

Overcome the sense of overwhelm

19th September 2016

Gavin Preston

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The elation, feeling of success and renewed sense of self worth upon the winning of a big deal or several big deals all at once can be all too short lived.  Brought down to earth by the reality of how are you going to deliver on the step change in the amount of work for your business?  How can you increase production capacity?  Where are you going to get the people to help you deliver on the contracts; the time; and the cashflow to fund it all?

Question building upon question soon replacing a joyous well-being with a creeping cloud of doubt over whether you’ve bitten off more than you can chew, whether you are good enough to successfully pull it off and deliver to time, quality and make a profit.

The more you run the issues round and round in your head, the more the levels of anxiety grow. Your heart rate rises, you may have restless or even sleepless nights worrying about cashflow or sourcing enough raw materials or people of the right quality.

Who were you to think you could grow your business at such a rate?

STOP.  Stand up, drink a glass of water, take 5 deep breaths, put your favourite track on your smart phone and walk around the block (dress first if you were in bed) so that you interrupt that pattern of thinking and change your state.

Here are four steps you can take to deal with the sense of overwhelm when you have a step change in your business:

1. Self Belief

The oft quoted Henry Ford “Whether you think you can or you think you can’t you are absolutely right”. If you start doubting your ability to successfully address the challenges in your business you will not be able to come up with the creative ideas to solve the problems.

Think of the times in the past when you had successfully overcome significant problems. Recall the sense of achievement when you had triumphed over challenge.  Tell yourself that you can overcome these ‘bumps in the road’ too. Trust. Believe in yourself.

Replace the mantra “What am I going to do?” with “I can do this, I can do this!”

2. Team

You may be the boss but it doesn’t mean you have to shoulder the problems of the world (your business) on your own.  It is a sign of strength and demonstration of your ability to engage and lead collaboratively when you bring your team in on a brainstorming session on the ways to achieve the end result you want.  They will feel valued that they you asked for their input.

Remember, keep the focus on the result you want to achieve, not on the problems.

3. Externalise

Get the issues out of your own head and onto paper.  Whilst the issues are running round and round in your head they grow in spectre and can appear much bigger than they are in reality.

Take a pile of post-it notes or file cards.  Write one issue/factor/aspect of the problem per card and keep going until you have all components of the problem onto cards.  Stand back – this helps you look at the situation from a different perspective and objectively.  Sort them out.  Sort out the cards into what order or hierarchy feels right.

Notice how much clearer the path forward is becoming now.

4. Progression

Get started. Take action.  Don’t worry if your solution is not yet perfect. Action builds momentum which builds confidence.  A virtuous cycle.  Refine and improve as you go.  Be a progressionist not a perfectionist.

Use the four STEPs above to take back control and get back on with the things you should be doing – Doubling Your Business.

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