How life’s knocks make you rock in business!

Ever experienced a disappointment, setback or outright failure?

Most of us would not only say yes to that question but, “hell yes, if I had a scar for every knock I’d be covered from head to toe.”

I’ve been inspired to write this post because I see too many UNBELIEVABLY AWESOME business leaders who’ve been emotionally scarred by their knocks and carrying heavy weights like:
• Guilt
• Self-doubt
• Super-criticality of self
• Fear of failure in overdose
• Depleted energy
• Bruised confidence

Because of these weights, it’s so much harder to do what it takes to get results and so results dwindle making the weight even heavier.

The common approach to dealing with knocks doesn’t work

A common approach to dealing with life and business knocks is to cover up our failures, quickly move on and don our best appearance even when we’re feeling like earth quakes are erupting inside of us. This doesn’t work.

Yes maybe it makes us feel a bit better to show our best side in the moment but the reality is, we cannot hide our stuff! It shows up in our moods, abrupt manner with colleagues, missing important details because we’re not present, coming down harder on people because we’re only seeing the downside etc.

The things that we want so desperately to hide, show through in so many ways. Have you ever been to a dinner party where there’s a tangible feeling that all is not okay even though the hosts are doing their best to cover up the massive argument they’ve just had? That undercurrent seeps through and we have an uncanny way of detecting it.

Challenge is inevitable in business

My success journey has been punctuated with spectacular successes and devastating knocks. Every one of my coaching clients have also experienced the typical peaks and troughs that are inevitable when you’re pushing your boundaries to achieve your goals and wildest dreams.

With challenge being the one sure thing you can count on in business, I was determined to find a way of looking at setbacks that would empower rather than disempower me.

Setbacks can either disempower or empower you

A disempowering way to deal with setbacks would be to dramatize the situation, talk incessantly about the problem, complain and even blame others for the woes being experienced. This just exacerbates the heaviness often leading to inaction.

A more empowering way to deal with setbacks is to show them up rather than to hide them, to embrace them rather than have them weigh us down heavily. Put quiet time aside to take stock and dissect the setback to find the lessons, upside and the potential opportunity it presents.

The gold you want to extract is the lesson! And that lesson is an insight and invaluable tool you can use for the rest of your life.

When I started seeing my challenges and setbacks as beacons of light showing me invaluable signals of what I had to learn, how I needed to change things up and why I needed to change direction etc. instead of being immobilized, I experienced a new surge of energy that powered me up to raise the bar even higher. This swiftly lead to massive breakthroughs and huge successes and  continues to be a powerful tool I draw on to accelerate my forward movement.

When you embrace your knocks, you will rock in business

When you embrace your setbacks, and take the lessons, it makes you a powerful force in business. Nothing molds you quite like experience. Would you rather hire the rookie with no scars or the battle-scarred lieutenant whose been in the trenches and knows how to deal effectively with life-threatening situations?

Your setbacks, disappointments and failures are gold when you extract the lessons and change what needs to be changed. There’s nothing more powerful than telling your story and sharing how you came through stronger and wiser. This shows depth of character, boosts your confidence and builds the trust of those around you.

I now see challenges and setbacks as blessings. Because of them I’ve become a stronger business woman and coach who can dynamically shift things when I see the signals.

So if you’ve been knocking yourself about the many setbacks you’ve encountered, I urge you to take a few minutes to turn it around in your mind and extract the nuggets of gold by reminding yourself of how the lessons learnt have set you up for success.

Embrace your knocks and you will find your pot of gold!

I was head down, totally immersed in writing this post but something made me look up from my desk and in that moment, there was a breathtaking scene in front of me… a rainbow hugging the ocean. Such synchronicity! No matter what the situation, if you choose to see the rainbow of colour, you open yourself up to finding the pot of gold.

Feel free to share how you’ve embraced your knocks and how it’s made you rock in business below this post. And if you’re going through a tough time and would like to find your pot of gold, reach out, I’m here to help you rock your business to new heights. You can email me at teamwilde@wildesuccess.com

To you rocking it in the last quarter of 2017!

Carmen Wilde: Business Coach & Breakthrough Specialist

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