Is that your final answer?

There is often more than a single answer to a question. Put another way, there’s more than one way to skin a cat. (Apologies to the cat lovers out there; I just couldn’t come up with another metaphor that would be as readily understood.)

Unfortunately, many entrepreneurs have a tendency to insist that their way is THE way to accomplish their goal – sometimes despite overwhelming evidence to the contrary.

It can be challenging to acknowledge that your brilliant strategy is…not. While painful, however, this will also enable you do what’s really important: reach your goal.

What would it do for your results – not to mention your stress level – if you were to get comfortable with the idea that it’s okay to change how you reach a goal, as long as you ultimately reach it?

Businesses these days are talking about the need to “pivot” in the face of the massive changes faced by most of the world in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic. It’s a great concept: Focus your creativity on figuring out how to get to your desired destination by a different route. One of the most obvious examples of this can be summed up in a single phrase: Zoom meeting.

And sometimes, if a simple pivot is not enough, we get to step onto a different path entirely. People can’t come in to your restaurant, which is known for its great service and ambience? Shift your focus to providing the same type of service, in keeping with your reputation, even with carry-out and curbside delivery orders. Your IT clients’ businesses are in a holding pattern? Demonstrate to them the value of updating their reporting systems so they’ll be able to accommodate the pent-up demand once it starts flowing in again.

The challenge is to avoid letting a focus on what you can’t do blind you to what you can. Yes, when someone chirps, “Look on the bright side!”, it can be incredibly irritating…and maybe that’s because we know it’s a good practice but just don’t want to make the effort to implement it.

If you’re feeling stuck and helpless and very much like a turtle on its back, maybe your brain could use a good talking-to. Your thoughts can propel you forward or keep you mired, so take some of this enforced down time to Get Out Of Your Own Way!

This Kindle short read provides 27 tips for getting your brain in shape to better deal with corona (as well as everyday) craziness. Simply reading it is an exercise in taking baby steps toward feeling more in control; using the tools will naturally get you further, faster.

So stay well, take action, and don’t let your supply of therapeutic chocolate run low.

(BTW, thanks to walknboston for posting the incredibly perfect graffiti image in the Creative Commons section of Flickr.)

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