Sometimes in business we feel forced into making a decision one way or the other.
I was reminded last week when I was coaching an executive that not making a decision is also a valid decision.
If going one way or the other doesn’t feel right, then simply decide not to decide.
There are times in your business growth journey when you need to go with the flow and simply sit back and allow things to unfold. There are times when pushing something seems wrong or too difficult. You know in your heart of hearts that it’s probably not going to work out too well if you do push it.
As a business owner, you probably feel that this is a ‘cop out’ and think it’s a bit lazy even considering not pushing something forward. Rest assured, that taking your time over something is not lazy, it can sometimes be exactly the right thing to do.
It doesn’t mean you stop working. You carry on working away, developing your business as you need to. You still make decisions and you still grow your business, albeit in a small way, while you take the time to make your big decisions.
In fact, because you’re carrying on with business as usual, you can use the time to recharge your batteries. Perhaps investigate a wider range of options and research into new ways of doing things in your industry. It’s a time to reflect, re-energise and re-evaluate where you’re up to and whether you’re on the right path for you.
Stay on the Right Path for Yourself
There is nothing worse than looking back over the past ten years and realising you had your ladder against the wrong wall. I’ve written a book about avoiding this and correcting it if that’s where you find yourself now. It’s called “How To Outshine The Rest” click here to buy a copy.
No, it’s much better to keep your powder dry and make sure the decisions you make will keep you on the right path for yourself.
During this downtime, you can explore other options, try new things out, test theories and experiment a little, giving you a wider scope of knowledge and experience to draw from. Because there is no specific goal, there’s no pressure and you can try things you would never have considered trying before. A word of warning though: don’t hide. Be aware that a goal, vision, and purpose is on the horizon for you. Don’t use this downtime as an excuse to faff about for decades. Be purposeful in finding your goal.
I attended a retreat last year that filled me with dread! It involved eating vegan food, drawing pictures with crayons and collaging. All things I really didn’t want to get involved with and had quite frankly ridiculed in the past. My reasoning for this? I needed to find a new goal, a new way of thinking and a new venture. I’d been looking for three years and not found what I wanted. None of it felt right. I was still running my old business, still earning decent money, but had no clear direction or vision. A good friend of mine calls this hanging out in the unknown. At first, it was strange but then I realised I needed time to re-evaluate and re-energise.
It worked. I came away with a clear vision of what I wanted to achieve. How I wanted to spend the next ten years of my professional life. Who knew that collaging could be so illuminating?
Know When to Take a Step Back
Seriously, if you feel stuck, feel like your forcing a decision or keep saying “I should” it’s probably time to step off the hamster wheel. You don’t have to stop working or running your business, but you can take some time to reflect, research and re-energise yourself. Be prepared to hang out in the unknown for a while, when the inspiration strikes, you’ll know its right because you’ll feel it. Trust that feeling and go with it, no matter how crazy it sounds.
Along with my co-founder, I’m building the world’s most successful business coaching, training and consulting business. Now, that’s a crazy idea, but it’s one that gets me out of bed in the morning. Excited, fired up and ready to work smart to achieve it.
Contact rebecca@tricres.com for more details.
