What to do when you want to give up

Everyone feels like giving up at one time or another when running a business. Being an entrepreneur is hard. You go through just about every emotion — fear, excitement, sadness, happiness and then back to fear.

With all the emotions people go through when running a business, it makes sense that most people end up giving up. It’s hard.

Just because it’s hard, it doesn’t mean it’s impossible. Being an entrepreneur is like working out at a gym. You need to break through the hard workouts to become stronger and do more. Those hard workouts are what will set you up to handle bigger weights, which is what will help you feel better about yourself.

Building a business works the same way. You need to go through the difficult times of building it to gain strength to handle a bigger, more thriving business. If you give up, all the work you’ve done through the trials and tribulations will be for nothing.

What to Do Instead of Giving Up

Stop considering the demise of your business. It’s just weakening your ability to overcome the challenges you’re facing right now. Instead, think about what it is that is hard and why it’s hard. What makes you just want to throw your hands up in defeat and walk away?

Acknowledging the struggle is the first step in overcoming it.

Take a part of the problem you’re facing and come up with solutions. Write them down. This way you can look at them closely to start thinking of which ones you will be putting into action. Scared? Good. That’s what this is all about. That fear is what will help you build strength when you try the solutions you’ve proposed for yourself, and they work.

Once you have a solution or two for the first part of the problem, focus on another part of the problem and do the same thing. The trick is not to become overwhelmed by the problem. Instead, break it up into digestible chunks that will help you manage it.

Take One Step Forward

Doing nothing isn’t the answer and won’t get you anywhere. Take one step forward by executing one solution. As scared as you are, don’t let it hold you back. Try to solve part of the problem with one solution. If it works, great. If it doesn’t, try another one of your solutions. Do not give up.

If none of the solutions work, go back to the drawing board. Come up with other ways to handle the problem, and then put those ways to work.

With business, you need to find out what works and what doesn’t as you move forward and up. The only way to do that is to try out different ways to overcome problems. As much as you think this sets you back, it is actually setting you up to propel forward.

Start working on your business problems now with these two steps. Just remember: Do not give up.