No matter whether you’re just starting your business, or you’ve been in business for a while, chances are you’ve experienced some form of resistance, whether it be big or small. Resistance can be a tough thing to handle, as most of us are not prepared or equipped throughout our lives to handle these situations, especially when it comes to running our own businesses. Today, however, I want to give you 5 key things that you can do when you’re experiencing resistance that will help you break through and also become aware of why you’re experiencing said resistance.
I think the very first thing to do and to realize is that no matter what you’re doing, whether it’s owning a business or simply living your everyday life, you’re going to experience resistance at one point or another. Understanding this, you can now shift your focus to making sure that you can be prepared ahead of time for the inevitable resistance that will come your way. This means understanding that resistance is coming, you may not know when, but you know it’ll happen. Knowing this, you can make sure to put the proper steps in place to ensure that you react calmly and logically, rather than emotionally as most people do.
One main step I would recommend is to take the first action as quickly as you can. So often what happens is when we as business owners experience things like setbacks and resistance, we have a tendency to let fear take hold of us, and it prevents us from doing anything to push through the setback/resistance. So the first thing I would do is have a plan ahead of time, and make a part of that plan to act quickly and swiftly when you’re experiencing resistance.
The second tip I would give you is to reframe the entire stigma around resistance. We’ve been taught our whole lives that things like resistance, setback, and failures are “bad” things . . . but why? If you really think about it, if you only do the things that are easy and come naturally to you, I can promise you that you won’t experience much success and fulfillment in your life. Things like learning new skills, reading, working out, and having great relationships . . . these all take work and inevitable “failure.”
So instead of seeing resistance as a bad thing, turn it into something that is motivating, because if you think about it, resistance really is motivating because it means you’re moving in a beneficial direction in your business. Let it be positive in your life that will each time you experience a tough situation, a setback, etc. you’re learning something new each time that you can then take with you into the future, and make you a better business owner.
The third tip is to surround yourself with positive, supportive people. I can’t tell you how much of a difference it makes when you’re experiencing resistance to have people who love you and support you around, as opposed to negative, judgemental people. Negative people will tell you don’t bother and say things like, “Well, at least you tried.” Positive people will put your fear and resistance in check, letting you know that it’s simply part of the process and the cost of entry when it comes to running a successful business.
There’s a reason every book talks about the power of association and why they say you’ll end up the average of the 5 people you hang out with the most . . . because it’s true! So make sure that the people you’re surrounding yourself with when it comes to your life and business are people who uplift you, encourage you, and make you excited about your business, even through setbacks and resistances.
The fourth tip would be to celebrate your successes. Too often in business, we only celebrate when we land a client, make a big sale, or make huge sums of money . . . but those “successes” are really just a byproduct of the smaller, more important successes, which are things like staying committed, learning from failures, and pushing through resistance. If you never did these things, then you’d never be able to experience the big sales and the huge success.
So any time you find yourself experiencing resistance and you push through it with positivity and action, celebrate it . . . because what you just did is a huge achievement! Did you know that when most people/business owners experience the same thing, they quit? But not you, not only did you face your fear and resistance, but you pushed through it, learned from, and now you’re much strong because of it . . . and I personally think that’s something to be pretty dang proud of.
The last tip I’ll give you is simply this: take everything in stride. Sometimes things will work out and you’ll experience success because of it. Other times, they won’t, and maybe a business deal will fall through or you’ll lose a client . . . and guess what: that’s okay too! Not EVERYTHING is going to work out all the time, and your ability to learn from every situation and move on will be key to your success in business.
Have you ever come across a friend that had something bad happen a month ago and they’re STILL talking about it? The sad truth is that situation is still affecting them and their business, months later, and they’re probably not even aware of it. The amount of things you can control is few, however, the amount of things you can’t control is many . . . don’t let yourself hang onto old situations that are out of your control. Learn from them, ask what you can do better next time, and move on with a positive attitude, because nothing will hold your business back more than you holding onto feelings about old situations.
Resistance is everywhere, especially if you’re a business owner that’s taking action. The goal is to realize that you’re going to experience resistance, frame it in the correct way, focus on what you can control, and make sure that you’re always taking something you can learn from every situation. How do you handle resistance in your business? I’d love to know your thoughts in the comments below!