Difficulty doesn’t discriminate. It doesn’t matter if you have a net worth of $50 million or $50,000.
It doesn’t matter if you’re running a multi-million dollar company, or working for someone else.
You’re going to encounter situations that draw a before-and-after line in the sand, where things change in a moment’s notice.
If you are a business owner, you face more risk than others because you have so much more on the line. Therefore, the ability to recover is absolutely essential.
Recently, several friends have encountered what I call “before-and-after moments.” Most recently, a friend received news that her 9-year old daughter has Type-1 diabetes and will be on insulin the rest of her life.
In my own life, I’ve beaten melanoma, had a breast cancer scare, overcame two business bankruptcy possibilities, lost people I love, and recovered from a fairly devastating betrayal by someone I thought was a true friend.
I recently provided some experiential wisdom to my friend whose daughter was diagnosed with diabetes.
I’m sharing my 6 strategies for creating what I call a Warrior Mindset.
1: Block out the sky-is-falling supporters. When we receive bad news, or go through something traumatic, our natural response is to reach out to others for support. While the outreach is important, what is even more important is who we are seeking for support.
We are at our most vulnerable state when we are facing a difficult situation. We require support from those who can lift us higher and move us forward. We need support from those who are stronger than we are.
2: Move out of the “why-me” response as soon as possible. It’s natural to feel a loss of control, and to feel victimized by our circumstances. When circumstances drastically change, they often require a mourning process to eventually accept the new reality. This may include denial, anger, grief, and finally acceptance.
3: Get a grip on your fear. Fear is also a natural response to life-changing news and situations. We must remember that it is just an emotion. Nothing else. However, if we empower it – if we go to that place of, “What happens if….” then we will be paralyzed. There’s no time for inertia or inaction.
4: Seek out your new “tribe.” Diabetes has profoundly impacted our family; we have lost young people we love to the disease. I advised my friend to quickly connect with others that have already walked her path. I recommended the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation (JDRF) as well as Facebook support groups and meetups.
When the rules & parameters of our daily living change, we must create a tribe so that we know we are not alone, and so that we can make informed decisions based on knowledge & facts, rather than emotion. We need people like us.
Our other tribes may not understand, or even approve. That’s not your concern. Your healing & progress depends on getting the right support.
5: Seize control over the situation. This may not be the situation you would have chosen, but it is YOUR situation. Choose control over it. We either control our circumstances (even the poor ones) or they control us.
6: Remember that your circumstance does not define you. Your situation is one piece of a tapestry that is your life. I had cancer. I am not cancer. Several friends struggle with depression. They are not depression. Several friends have experienced business failure or divorce. They are more than their business situation or marital situation.
We decide how well we-co-exist with our new reality… how much it defines us.
Life delivers us a blend of the good and the bad. How it all shows up for us largely depends on our outlook and our mindset. We are not our struggles. They are only a part of the amazing people we are.
Good luck!
Sign up here to receive Successful Culture’s leadership blog every Friday. All posts contain actionable content to make you the best leader you can be, to help you develop your people to their greatest potential, and to help you build your best organization.
About Successful Culture
We work with business owners, CEOs, and leadership teams that want to achieve their greatest personal & organizational potential. Through coaching, strategic consulting, retreat facilitation, and workshops, we equip leaders & emerging leaders with the mindset, tools, strategies, and processes they need to excel.
Connect with me on Instagram, Facebook, Linked In, and Twitter.
Please check out my Inc. Magazine columns on my Author Page too.
Learn about the 12 Habits of Horrible Leaders, and How to Break Them.
Wishing you joy and success on your journey!
In gratitude,
Marissa Levin
CEO, Successful Culture
“Taking Leaders from Triage to Transformation.”
[email protected]
