Helpful Thoughts For You

I know it’s hard to keep going sometimes. Especially if you’re feeling defeated. It’s truly taxing to keep going despite your body and mind telling you you’re done.

Somebody else is doing what you want to do. And in the same town. They’re doing EXACTLY what you want to do. It feels like somebody ganked your idea and left you out in the cold. And now you’re asking yourself, “Why should I keep going? My idea is already happening with this other person, and they’re going to take all my potential business and take all my potential customers. I’ve got some people now, but my business isn’t going to grow. And I’m never going to get out of this place I’m in right now. I’m never going to be able to do this for a living. I’m always going to have to do something else. And my dreams won’t ever come true.”

I know how you feel. I’ve had these same thoughts many, many, many times.

And it just might be true. You might work all your life and your business might never take off. Even if you were the only show in town, it might never get you enough business to where you don’t have to have another job just to support yourself. It might always be this way.

So, my unsolicited (and possibly unwanted) recommendation to you is to ask yourself every day if this is what you want to be doing. Don’t ask yourself if you want to be doing what hasn’t happened yet. Don’t look at what your business MIGHT become. Look at it today. And TODAY ONLY, is this what you want to be doing? If the answer is “yes”, keep doing it! You’re doing what you want to do! If the answer is “no”, ask yourself if you’re willing to keep working toward the dream. You’ve got an idea in your head of where you want to be, and ask yourself if you’re willing to work to get there. If you answer “yes” to this question, keep going! Every day, you’re getting closer to where you want to be! If you answer “no” to this second question, think about something you would rather be doing. Then ask yourself this final question: “would I rather be doing this other thing versus what I’m doing now?” If the answer is “no”, you’re STILL doing the right thing! You are doing the best thing for you, and there is nothing better for you out there. If the answer is “yes”, it’s time to do something better for yourself.

By going through these questions, you put yourself in control. It doesn’t matter what anyone else is doing, even if they are doing exactly what you’re doing. You didn’t start your idea solely because nobody else was doing it. Every day people open restaurants, not because they are the first to open a restaurant, but because they want to. You wanted to start this business. And it’s grown. And it’s doing well. And you like it. And it energizes you. But still, take yourself through those questions, just to make sure.

Here’s something really hard to do: don’t worry about the other person who is doing your idea. Just like the restaurant, there are many choices, and there is only one you. As a general rule, I like Taco Bell more than McDonald’s because I feel like I get more food at Taco Bell and it tastes better to me. But if I really need to get a mushroom and swiss angus burger, Taco Bell can’t meet my needs. I gotta go to McDonald’s. Plus, Taco Bell is starting to suck ass, not giving the same portions as they used to, and their drive-through help are all on some kind of narcotics. Or something. They’re off-putting. So my tastes are changing. The point here is that people have choices. And every person is an individual. I’m speaking about you and your individual qualities, which are good qualities. And some people will like your individual qualities. And some won’t. Make yourself happy first, and thing will be much, much easier.

And if I’ve responded to an issue which you’re already over and I’ve spent too much time dealing with something that really didn’t need to be dealt with, then know that I love you, and that’s all.