Worrying

For the first few years of my business owning journey I was a terrible worrier.

I would lie awake at 3am worrying whether this client or that client was going to leave. Every complaint was personal to me, and I would obsessively check my email waiting for the complainant to respond to my apology.

The birth of my daughter in 2010 made this worse for a few months thanks to sleep deprivation. Gah.

Because of tiredness, I reached a mental crisis point later that year. I actively made a decision to improve, and overcame much of my worries within a few months.

Here are the five things I did.

I switched to an ACTION orientation. If something bothered me, I took swift and decisive action on it immediately.

I started firing clients I was worrying about (I still have a rule that if I wake more than 2 mornings in a row thinking negative thoughts about a client or supplier, then they must be fired that day).

I discovered Monthly Recurring Revenue and flipped my business on its head. The peace of mind from a predictable cash flow is astonishing.

I got really, really good at marketing. And systemised it. Because systematic marketing is predictable, which again gives you peace of mind.

I stopped working in any way at weekends. Started enjoying the simple things again (long walks; cinema). And took proper holidays. Proper breaks with no work interruptions.

Why I wrote this

I've posted this here because I think the mental health aspects of business ownership are never really discussed.

I'm supporting a business owner through this worry at the moment, and it's reminded me how destructive it can be.

If you worry about your business, you are not alone. It's normal.

And it can be overcome. Thinking about the business is healthy. Worrying about it is not.