TT#036 - Slumps are dangerous. Here's how to hit reset...

I've got  a confession: I recently hit a slump. 

Not in sales. I’ve sold $172k over the past 3 months, which is a quarterly best for me as a solopreneur. 

And not in client wins. I just got a couple videos from members of my coaching program thanking me for helping them unlock hundreds of thousands in revenue. 

It was more of an emotional slump. 

The kind that had me questioning things I usually don't and overthinking more than I usually do. For several days it tweaked my mood and threw a little shade on my perspective. 

This happens from time to time. It's the side of entrepreneurship we don't hear as much about on social media. Because of that, it’s easy to think we’re alone when this happens. We're not. I've worked with enough badass leaders and entrepreneurs to know this is perfectly normal. 

But here's the thing: While falling into a funk is perfectly normal, it can be incredibly dangerous if left unchecked. It affects every area of your life—especially your business. 

First, let's take a look at why slumps can be so dangerous for entrepreneurs. 

A big part of being an entrepreneur is maintaining an optimistic mindset. After all, if you don't believe in yourself and your business, who will? 

When you're in a slump, it's easy to start doubting yourself and your abilities. This can quickly lead to a downward spiral of negative thinking that gets really damn hard to pull out of. 

It's important to catch yourself before you get too deep into this vortex. And once you catch it, you've gotta know how to hit reset and get back to being the best version of you. 

How to Hit Reset

So how do you hit the reset button and change your mindset? I've found a few catalysts for getting my mind right. 

1: Get that Aggressive, Winning Mindset Back

When we're in a slump, we tend to dwell on our failures. Our weaknesses. And all the ways things aren't working out, or won't in the future. 

Once in awhile, that's perfectly natural. I don't want to be friends with anyone that doesn't question themselves at least once in awhile. But as a habit, this breeds a victim mindset. 

To reset before it gets to that point, I simply look back at my wins, successes, and bets that panned out. Hell, I keep a log of them to revisit from time-to-time. 

They don't have to be monumental wins, or even recent. Just wins. 

You want to interrupt the negative pattern of thought by taking a minute to remind yourself that you are a winner. You've stacked up plenty of wins in your life. Sometimes you just need to intentionally remind yourself of them. 

Ultimately you need to shake the defensive line of thinking that sounds like, "What could go wrong?" And replace it with a more aggressive one that sounds more like, "I'm gonna crush this fucking goal." 

2: Develop a Nostalgia For the Future

For many, slumps stem from nostalgia, when things were perhaps better at some point in the past. As I said above, reflecting on wins is healthy in order to get that winning mindset back. But don't let that lead you to thinking your best times are behind you. 

We are most fulfilled when we are pushing towards a meaningful goal. 

When you've got a target to you want to hit in sight, you're hopeful. Optimistic. Charging ahead with energy and momentum. Losing track of time and digging deep to overcome obstacles.

And that makes us feel alive in the here and now. A feeling you don't get longing for the days of yore. Whatever or wherever yore is. 

Flip nostalgia around and start longing for what's to come, not what's already come and

3: Act Your Way Through It

Mental exercises can be helpful in busting through an emotional slump. But sometimes it's best to just ignore what's happening between the ears and start taking action. 

Entrepreneurship is volatile. It's one of the characteristics that turns most people off. 

Revenue cycles often look like rollercoaster rides. Competitors rise and fall. Great teammates and employees come and go. New ideas and products succeed and fail. 

Peaks and troughs are part of the game. And sometimes reaching new heights simply means putting your head down and plowing through those valleys, even when it feels "bleh." 

These are the "reps" that veteran entrepreneurs know they need to put in to make their vision a reality. 

In Conclusion...

As they say, tough times don't last, tough people do. 

Learning how to reset your perspective may be one of the most important disciplines you hone as an entrepreneur. When you find yourself in a slump, remind yourself of your victories, get excited about what's ahead, and get to work moving priorities forward. 

If you do that, you'll come out stronger than before and closer to your target.

Hope it helps.