Written by: Gabriela Manciulea, 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.
One idea, big dreams, and a big heart: that's how entrepreneurship starts. One step at a time, curiosity, excitement, and zest for learning, walk hand in hand, casting a happy light on our path.
And, just like Little Red Riding Hood, in our enthusiasm, we veer off the path. In the middle of the journey, we find ourselves lost in the woods: chasing the next beautiful flower, the next shiny idea that promises to be the magic key to success. Our basket gets heavy, our thoughts are tangled, shoulders droop under the weight of it all.
The fear of the big wolf of failure starts eating us alive: we feel like we can't do it all, that we're not good enough, that we'll never make it out of the woods of the overwhelming amount of options.
Stuck, lost, and frustrated seems to replace the initial curiosity, excitement, and enthusiasm.
Entrepreneur overwhelm is real. But it doesn't have to be how the story goes on.
We always have the choice to find a way back. We have the choice to shift from chaos to clarity and find the focus and direction. One step at a time.
1. Evaluate the current context. This is by far the most challenging step. Because we naturally want to run towards a solution. Yet a lot of answers are right in front of us. And if you don't want a band-aid solution that lasts only until the next rain, choose to invest time and energy to assess the current situation and how you got here. Get to know your patterns and your triggers well.
2. Define your purpose: clarify what you want to achieve. What is your ultimate goal?
3. Define your "why."Why are you doing what you're doing? Why did you start your entrepreneurial journey in the first place?
It's tempting to rush through these steps. It's tempting to just sketch them on your way to the next action. Yet knowing your what and your why determines how you will get there. Your what and why become your guiding light. Keep it close to your heart, and let it be your compass when you feel like you're veering off course.
We often avoid these first three steps: they require us to get real with ourselves. They require courage, honesty, and vulnerability.
4. Map out your plan. Draw your path. How do you plan to travel from Now to Your Vision? What are the challenges that you can foresee? Remember your patterns and triggers: what can you do differently? How can you plan to be consistent?
5. Simplify and Prioritize. Define the needle movers that bring you closer to your goal. Build habits around them and keep track of your progress.
6. Define your values and Set boundaries. Yet another frightening step: it means learning to say no to the things that are not aligned with your goals; it also means setting limits on your time and energy so that you can focus on what is most important.
7. Define and Set up a support system: who are the people that will help you on your journey? Who are the people that you can rely on? How can you create a system of accountability?
No matter how anxious you are to see things moving in the right direction, remember that a strong foundation is what will support you in the long run.
8. Take action. Dreaming and planning are soothing to the soul. Yet results only happen if you put one foot in front of the other: small, consistent, precise steps.
9. Evaluate and course correct. As you move forward on your path, take time to check in with yourself: how are you feeling? Are you making progress towards your goal? What is working and what isn't?
10. Celebrate. Don't forget to celebrate each and every one of your successes!
"The only way out is through," as Robert Frost wrote in his poem "Servant to Servant," or Virgil said to Dante at the Gates of Hell in Divine Comedy.
Choose your path. Choose wisely.
Gabriela Manciulea, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine
Gabriela is a passionate entrepreneur and the founder and CEO of Calibrated Leadership, a consulting company that specializes in helping service-based entrepreneurs build profitable and authentic businesses based on strategic and unshakable foundations. She loves working with leaders to create custom-tailored frameworks that provide them guidance on how they can grow with ease and confidence into thriving companies. She does this through her signature programs, speaking engagements, workshops, and trainings.
Gabriela is an avid learner and has a curious mind and always strives to serve her clients at the highest level. She holds many certifications like American Board of NLP Associate Practitioner, Certified Behavioral Analysis Trainer and Certified Extended DISC Practitioner. Gabriela is also a certified Organizational Leadership Coach, Teacher, Trainer and Speaker and Certified Transformational Coach.
Today she devotes her time to helping entrepreneurs simplify and grow their businesses with clarity and ease and make success inevitable.
