The truth is, as an entrepreneur and business owner, it can often be a little bit of both sometimes. But what is essential for all of us that are steering these self-made ships, is to continually check yourself before you wreck yourself.
Meaning, we often start out from inspiration, and our intention is still inspired, and at the heart of what we do, but as we grow and mature and hit new challenges and hurdles to overcome, inspiration can slowly start to eek out the bottom of the boat unnoticed…
and desperation huffs up and grabs the wheel.
Mostly you won’t notice this happening, because it sneaks in under the fog of overwhelm and indecision, and then one day you look up and notice that where you once felt inspired and alive, you now feel drained, and stifled.
What was once fun, now feels flat.
What was once flowing, now feels cramped.
It’s disheartening I know, but what I want you to really hear is that this does not mean you’ve made a wrong turn!
In fact, it’s quite the opposite. All it means is you’ve exhausted the turn that you took, and it’s time for you to grow.
But the reason this feels bad instead of good, is you’re RESISTING IT. And if you’re anything like me when I bump up against these ceilings… you’re resisting it HARD.
If things have turned a little bit less inspiration, and a little more desperation in your business right now, ask yourself what it is that you’re resisting?
The name of the game for entrepreneurs is REINVENTION. But the trouble is us humans like security and guarantees. We want to know what’s ahead of us so we can prepare, we want to know the end game. But we also love the mystery… the mystery of POSSIBILITY. And possibility is truly the greatest mystery of them all.
We temper this by putting up a giant energetic “F*** NO!!” sign from the cozy nest and business we’ve built ourselves in now, while secretly giving the googly-eyes to the possibilities on the side.
When we do this we’re sending out two signals: “Yes, come here growth and change, I want you!” … and … “No, get the f*** out of here before you F this whole thing up!”
Subsequently we get trapped in this kind of life-sucking limbo between exhilaration and despair. We start feeling more and more stuck, because what was once working (because it was once inspired!) is now flopped on the floor like a dying fish, and we’re frantically scooping up buckets of toilet water to keep it alive instead of throwing that puppy back out into the ocean, and seeing what bigger fish we catch.
What I’ve learned in my nearly 19 years in business for myself is that I work from desperation when I have kinked my flow of inspiration because I am afraid that inspiration is like a train that will wreck my life.
Here’s what that fear often sounds like:
“what will people think of this? what if it all goes wrong? what if it messes up what I already built? what if I’m not good enough? what if I’m not smart enough? what if my people don’t like me anymore? what if they think I’m this-that-and-the-other? what if they judge me? what if I hurt myself or my family with this? what if I lose people I love? what if I mess up relationships? what if I don’t belong anymore? what if I become ‘out of touch’? what if it’s not even the right direction? what if it’s not the right thing? what if I fail and look like a total fool?! what if I succeed and look like a total fool?!”
Here’s my answer now:
“Let’s find out.”
Here’s why I can answer that now without crumpling into a pool of tears and heavy breathing into a paper bag:
I know that voice of fear is like Plankton in an old episode of Spongebob Squarepants I saw when he was put through a machine that analyzes the scientific properties of an object… *Insert cartoon computer voice*:
“Plankton: 1% evil, 99% hot gas”
In order to unkink the flow of inspiration, we have to first RECOGNIZE and clear what that kink is. What pebble of fear is specifically in your flow? Perhaps there are many!
No. Big. Dill.
We all have them, and they happen just as much at 6 figures and 7 figures as they do at 4 figures and 5 figures. Fears will be there at every step, but they’re just like Plankton, 99% hot gas.
Those fears don’t ever go fully away, but your ability to meet and overcome them just keeps rising.
So wherever you are on your journey, you’ve got this. 💪 Just find the places you’re white-knuckling, and get curious about how to get back into your flow.
xo,
Sunni
P.S. And if you’re looking for some company and some guidance in working out those kinks, I’m here to help! You can can find me on Instagram, or at The Salty Olive or join my free Feast or Famine No More Masterclass here.