When I was about 30 years old, I had been in business for 13 years already. As my business had more and more employees and more dimensions to it, the problems increased. I was doing a lot IN it. Problems came everyday it seemed.
The way I processed these problems was to take them personally, as failures, and they didn’t match my expectations, which were flawed – I didn’t expect so many problems.
I felt stress. I felt like my blood pressure was very high some days, and even felt pressure in the front of my neck. Am I going to have a heart attack?
Well, it’s nearly 30 years later and my business is far bigger, has far more dimensions, and we still have lots of “problems”, or things that didn’t go the way we had hoped. I’ve even had some problems that are far bigger than anything I was dealing with back then. And yet, I am not stressed like I was before.
When you are responsible for a business, especially if you want to grow it, it doesn’t really get easier. But what can change is your tolerance level.
You expect problems and when they get here there is no surprise. With many problems that come, you may have dealt with something like this before and know what to do and the likely outcome. The problems get less unique and less puzzling. You know it won’t kill you and you will get through it.
Dealing with problems and crises is part of the top job, because sh*t that nobody else can handle flows uphill – to you.
But like all other business skills, when you get better, things will get better for you.
Handle it, but be tolerant.
Don’t let problems master over you – you master over them.
This was very helpful this morning. We spend so much Time and loss of sleep and worry when it comes to the minor issues that inevitably pop up almost on a daily basis. It is definitely hard to not take those as personal losses. Thanks for the encouragement hope everyone that read this today has an amazing day
Awesome message! An old friend told me recently not to take it personally and underreact. Don’t get wrapped around the axle is another one
I appreciate and value and try to read and internalize each ThinkDaily from Larry, and I wanted to thank you for this one. It is extraordinarily helpful. “The way I processed these problems was to take them personally, as failures, and they didn’t match my expectations, which were flawed ” This is the stage of life I am currently in, understanding, learning of, knowing, and accepting the possibility of lower motivation and purpose of those recruited to grow the business, don’t expect them to be on my level, don’t expect them to care and want to change, I must be cool, calm and build my tolerance to reacting to problems.
very good message