The Biggest Obstacle to Growth – Part 2

One thing I love about small business is that every single one holds the promise of metamorphosis. Most of them end up becoming something they did not start out to be. It is a law of nature. If you plant a seed in the ground and expose it to the right conditions, wah-lah, it grows. It cannot help itself. It is alive, and living things grow. In a few short weeks, it will be transformed into something completely different than it started out to be, leaving the tiny seed casing behind. It is the same for small business. The transformation is a beautiful thing, and growing is an art.

Last week, we talked about how small business is a lot like farming. You have to plan, prepare, and cultivate the soil before you plant. There are so many obstacles to growth in small business, and most for which we are unaware. We must remove the rocks, pull the weeds, and mend the fences to flourish.

We will point out some of these obstacles in the next few weeks of this series. In our experience of helping small business, it is always the same stupid rocks that keep tripping us up. The more rocks we can help you pull out of your field, the more you will have the opportunity to flourish. We want to help you remove as many hindrances to growth as possible.

The number one rock for any entrepreneur is Fear.Fear has kept many a good entrepreneur down. Fear can paralyze, and throw a wet blanket over every plan. Yet fear is normal. The more we try to avoid it, or deny its presence, the more it obstructs. The more we face it head on, the better we are able to overcome it. Remember the first time you applied for a job? Or the first time you drove a car? You were afraid, right? The reason you kept pushing through, despite the fear, was because there was this desire for something bigger and better just on the other side of that fear. And so you did it!

Growing as an entrepreneur is the same. Small business often puts you in positions that you never imagine you would ever be, where your skills can grow and blossom. Courage and desire push forward, all because of the prize. Fear is a good indicator that we are growing.

I have a friend who is beautiful, gifted, patient, and passionate about helping elderly people gain physical strength. No spandex here. She starts where they are, and works with what muscles they have. It was not long after she started her business that she recognized the need to hone her skill at giving presentations. She needed more confidence. So she decided to join Toastmasters. Surveys have shown that most people would rather go to a funeral than speak in front of a group. Still others would rather die. Yet the ability to communicate is a necessary skill of entrepreneurship. It is not optional. Gaining your own voice is scary. Upon facing her first speech assignment, she wanted to quit. After that, there were several more times she entertained the idea of quitting. She would say things like, “I sound like a robot when I listen to myself”.  And “I just want to run away”.  It was my privilege to encourage her. She later understood that fear was not an indicator that she was on the wrong path. Fear meant she was on the right one!Rather than being an indicator that she should quit, the fear gave evidence to the great importance she placed upon skillful communication. Her fear was the litmus of growth and courage.

Every entrepreneur faces fear. Fear is the biggest rock in any field where you are trying to grow stuff. Instead of trying to plow around it, or deny fear, be honest with yourself. Acknowledge the fear is there. Instead of fearing failure, give yourself permission to fail. Give yourself permission not only to fail, but to flail around a bit–perhaps even to fall down before you accomplish anything at all. Failure is the prerequisite to success. Fear does not indicate what we do not want. It is an indicator of what we want. Instead of fearing the future, which all entrepreneurs will do, remind yourself that it is rare for things to turn out exactly as planned.

“I’ve had a lot of worries in my life, most of which never happened.” Mark Twain

Expect the best instead.

Small business is not easy. Give yourself a break. Growing involves growing pains. If you are not growing, you are dying. Fear is part of growth. Even a small degree of change in your attitude about fear can make a monumental difference in your courage and confidence down the road. 

Even though farming is a crap shoot, farmers still plant. So go ahead. Plan and make your preparations. Cultivate your soil and plant your seeds. Acknowledge the rocks. Plan and plant for growth in your business, and expect the best.

Then pray for rain. I have heard it said that faith prays for rain and then carries an umbrella.  Got one?

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Why do we at etc!graphics inc, a graphic design company, care about your business strategies?  Because no matter how beautiful your graphics, they will never make more sense than the clarity of your own vision. The clearer your vision, the more lucid your marketing will be, and the better connection you will make with your target customer. We want to help you find the gold in your business. Join us all this month as we share ways to help your small business sustain and grow in a crowded marketplace. Etc!Graphics is devoted to helping you, the small business owner, think like a marketer.