Photo by David M. Goehring

Running your own business is hard work. Much of it is invisible and often thankless. When things are running smoothly, life is good. But then a day comes along that hits you hard emotionally. A customer’s anger can’t be placated. Your employees are second-guessing your direction. How do you cope with these down days?

It starts with a strong support network, that you’ve invested in when life is good. You have a great team of mentors and colleagues who are good at listening to your rants and whose advice you trust. You’ve done the same for them on a regular basis, so you almost automatically call someone, email someone, or convene a “help session”. Afterwards, you still have the same issues, but your attitude about the problem has shifted. You no longer feel like a victim. You have options. You have “aha” moments in your own emotional growth.

But what if you don’t have a support network now?

1. Don’t take the “bad day” personally. Do what you can to rewrite the incident in your mind to be about some business problem or a hidden emotional issue.
2. Give yourself permission to think about something else for awhile. Seldom do things get better by dwelling on them.
3. Learn from the event. Could you have communicated something clearer, earlier, or supported by fact? Would an apology soothe hurt feelings? Would you take the same actions again, knowing what you know now?

It’s vital for your well-being to find ways to get emotional support for your business. It’s not something many people talk about – but for you long-term success – make it a priority today.

Photo by Artotem

We’re all eager to hear about the business that landed the big client, the CEO who just wound up on the cover of the newspaper, the startup that attracted lots of venture capital funding, or the video that’s attracted over 1,000,000 views in the last week. It’s seductive. It’s humbling. And it causes a lot of soul-searching (“What do they have that we don’t?”). Why do some businesses have all the luck?

Step 1: Get Ready For Luck. Even if the most amazing opportunity fell into you lap today, odds are, you’re not ready for it. For example, are all your marketing materials up-to-date? Have you been studying all the new innovations in your field? Have you been studying innovations in other non-related fields? Are you confident in your presentation and knowledge? If not, do your homework now. You never know when you’ll need to shine.

Step 2: Listen for Luck. Opportunities present themselves all the time – a casual conversation, a Facebook discussion, or even while watching a TV show. If you think you have something interesting to add, do so generously. Don’t try to show how smart you are. Do try to help someone else look smarter. Also, insert yourself in new environments that “stretch” your confidence. If you do the same things with the same people in the same ways, you’ll get the same results. Do something new or do something with new groups of people.

Step 3: Jump on Luck. Since luck is only seen in hindsight (“If I only knew then…”), don’t think of the immediate benefit to acting on something. A relationship may take time to blossom. A suggestion may take time to implement. Your luck may come not from the person you’re helping – it may be from someone overhearing what you’re saying or witnessing your passion. In public, you never know who’s paying attention to you.

The truth is that it often takes years of practice to become an “overnight sensation”. To boost your luck – practice, listen, and jump on opportunity.