Written by: Michelle Mercier, Executive Contributor
Executive Contributors at Brainz Magazine are handpicked and invited to contribute because of their knowledge and valuable insight within their area of expertise.
I had a client call me in tears this week - she had lined up her biggest sale yet, and at the last minute, it fell through. Why had her prospect walked away, she asked me? Was she an imposter? Not good enough? Maybe she didn’t belong in this business in the first place?
Within minutes of losing the sale, her self-worth had plummeted. This one single prospect could have walked for a variety of reasons - budget cuts, change of direction, personnel issues. I’ve seen deals fall through because someone wanted to give the project to a personal connection as a favor.
I had to remind her: the ups and downs of your business are no reflection of your value. You are worthy the minute you open your eyes in the morning. Transactions are just that: transactions. Not indictments of your personal success!
I get it - entrepreneurship is an extremely personal endeavor.
Starting your own business is a challenge like no other. We’re not working for a corporation - we’re creating something new.
Most of us start our business because we’re passionate about it - and when we are so close to our brand, it feels synonymous with our personal identity. We’ve put a little piece of our soul into it. So when the business stumbles or hiccups, it can feel like a personal deficiency.
Failures are inevitable - so what can they teach us?
Even the most successful entrepreneurs and businesses make mistakes, lose clients, retire floundering products or services, or shift gears. So instead of making the occasional failures into monumental roadblocks, separate yourself from the speedbumps for some perspective.
It will give you the ability to evaluate the situation objectively and problem-solve creatively. Maybe this wasn’t a good fit client for her. Maybe she needs to adjust her offer. Being able to analyze the situation impartially will lead her to the best decision for the future success of her business overall.
Enjoy the ride, regardless of the outcome.
Either way, it’s about your journey, not your destination. Avoid the classic “overachiever” trap of tying your self-worth to any number - your biggest sale, your annual revenue, your book sales, your likes and followers on social media. Never let external numbers or transactions validate your success or worthiness. Instead, stay focused on why you started your business and who you serve along the way.
Michelle Mercier, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine
Michelle Mercier is a Business Strategy Coach and the host of The Resilient Entrepreneur Podcast, which debuted on iTunes at 15 in the Entrepreneur category and cracked the top 100 in other countries worldwide.
She has close to 20 years of professional experience and has worked with various businesses, from nationally acclaimed non-profits to major corporations like PayPal.
Today, Michelle primarily works with entrepreneurs, small/medium businesses & executives to help them grow and maintain long-term success. She loves leveraging her years of experience and expertise to help bring individuals and companies to the next level.
