How to manage the emotional ups and downs of the entrepreneurial journey

Most businesses move through a cycle of stages – launch, growth, maturity, and renewal or decline. Or as we like to describe it at Melo:

• Ready to launch
• Pushing the throttle
• Flying high
• Preparing to land.

As you move through this entrepreneurial journey, there’s a good chance you’ll experience your fair share of emotional ups and downs.

From the excitement of launching a new business and landing your first client, to the anxiety of managing tough times and planning your exit – the life of an entrepreneur can be a roller coaster.

Happily, the Melo team is here to help. We’ve owned and grown businesses, so we know just how you might be feeling at any stage of your journey.

Here are our thoughts on how you can build the emotional resilience you need to make your business a success – without compromising your wellbeing.

Follow your own journey

There’s no shortage of social media personalities, business books, and news stories showcasing “the best way” to smash it as an entrepreneur.

It might be hard to tune out this constant noise and focus on your own goals, but that’s exactly what you need to do.

Comparing yourself to others often brings very little to the table, besides a truck load of stress and self-doubt.

Ask yourself what YOU want to achieve. What are your strengths and limitations? And what support do you need to make your journey as smooth as possible?

Recognise your emotional triggers

Understanding which situations, people, and events trigger your emotions is the key to controlling them.

Pay close attention to your surroundings when you have a strong emotional response. Writing down these experiences might help you spot patterns and identify triggers.

Do challenging conversations with clients stress you out or are tight deadlines the main cause of your worries?

Is it glowing client reviews that give you the biggest confidence boost, or blasting through sales targets?

Once you’ve identified your triggers, you can put strategies in place to capitalise on those fuzzy-feeling moments and maintain your composure when less-enjoyable emotions arise.

Always look for the lesson in any experience

Okay, so shouty clients and falling profit margins are no fun. But there’s a lot to be said for staying positive and looking for the lesson in every experience.

When you feel your emotions bubbling up, try asking yourself:

• What’s making me feel this way?
• Why am I reacting this way?
• What can I learn from this experience?
• What actionable steps can I take from this?

Reframing problems and challenges as learning opportunities could help you cope with your emotions during even the most difficult times.

While you may not be able to stop yourself from having negative feelings such as frustration, anxiety, or anger, this exercise is a clever way to put your emotional energy to good use.

Work with a mentor

As the author and inspirational speaker, Simon Sinek once said, “A mentor is not someone who walks ahead of you to show you how they did it. A mentor walks alongside you to show you what you can do.”

Even the most confident and successful entrepreneurs have moments of self-doubt and insecurity. A mentor can play a crucial role in helping you manage such limiting emotions by:

• Sharing practical tips and solutions based on their expertise and experience
• Offering reassuring support and encouragement to boost your confidence
• Helping you expand your network of professionals and resources
• Providing the checks, challenges, and objective criticism you need to grow your business.

Read more about Melo and how we support the financial planning profession to build better businesses. We know you’ll love our Business Effectiveness Review too!

Take time for self-care

We know, we know. There’s no time for yoga and spa treatments – you’ve got far more important things to do.

But here’s the thing. If you always prioritise those “important” business tasks and never put your wellbeing at the top of your to-do list, you could burn out.

On the other hand, taking the time to rest and reflect every now and then might give you the space you need to process the emotional ups and downs of life as an entrepreneur.

So, if it’s been a while since you stepped back from your business and indulged in a little self-care, pop something in the diary now. Whether it’s a luxurious hot stones massage or simply a walk in the park, scheduling some regular “me time” is a must when it comes to building your emotional resilience and staying productive.

Get in touch

If you’d like to find out more about how the Melo team can support you on your entrepreneurial journey, we’d love to hear from you.

Drop us an email at hello@melo.co.uk or call us on 0113 4656 111.