On To The Next One...

Stretch Yourself to your next success

We all know this feeling all too well.  It’s a great day.  You land that client, close that deal and get a verbal green light on funding you’ve been waiting on.  You call your business partner and your spouse and you meet up for dinner to celebrate.  “Sky’s the limit!”  You put it on the AMEX thinking that the money will be in the bank by the time you get your next monthly statement.

You look down at your Blackberry during dessert, and read, “We rethought the parameters of the deal, and it’s just not going to work for us.”

In just eight hours you have gone from feeling on top of the world to concluding that the world has just ended.

I live on this roller coaster every day in every facet of my business.  My ups and downs seem more severe now in this “recession” than when I worked for a “traditional company.”  It feels highly personal when I get a rejection.  One weekend a major radio syndicator told me after a radio show how much they love me and my passion and can’t wait to give me a full time slot but… their roster is full and they will let me know when (and if) an opening occurs.

Last year at this time, I spoke at one of the largest churches in Atlanta and they poured about how much realization that I bring to the actualization of the bible by my definition and wanted me to do a monthly workshop series.  I felt like I was at the top of my game.  Months have rolled by.  I have no control over whether or not that will manifest itself.

Last year I gave a speech at networking conference and shared my big goal to become as big as my personal friend Tony Robbins, yet here I am continuing to have to prove myself daily.

If you are an entrepreneur like me, these ups and downs are what you signed up for, and if you don’t learn to ride the wave, the wave will crush you.  The truth is that the breakthrough is coming in your business.  That much I know is true.  What I don’t know is whether or not you’ll stretch yourself in order to stick around to enjoy it.

There will always be setbacks; you must learn how to manage the frustrations, because the people that manage their frustrations will be successful.  On the other side of all that frustration, anguish, pain, and stretching yourself, success waits.

Here’s how I deal with my frustration. I follow a three step program;

I allow myself 24 hours to be a complete mess.  I bitch, moan, and complain, and allow myself to feel all those feelings in the present moment.  Then it’s is out of my system and it’s over.

Next day – let keep it pushing.  I meditate, exercise, Push play on the MP3, play and listen to all my favorites to get me motivated.  On to the next one.  I remind myself of all the amazing things I have accomplished so far.  (Wake up!; You do have clients that need you, a book deal with Harper-Collins, a monthly column in African American Performance Magazine, a great partnership with Your VIEW on LIFE, a great life with the freedom to pursue my passion in this exact moment) and of all the setbacks, I have found a way to stretch myself, be consistent, and finish strong.

Lastly I create a reason in my mind for why this rejection is the best thing that could have happened for my business and brand.  How did it actually strengthen me?

There is a lesson within everything.

When I used to be a personal trainer I preached to build a muscle you have to break it down.   An entrepreneur is training for success every day.  Going ON TO THE NEXT ONE on a regular basis is the only way to get there.

Trust me.  It might not feel like your on the right path, but it’s the only path to success.

Stretch Yourself to overcome; You’ll be glad you did.