One of the hardest things (at least for me) in running a business is the realization that sometimes things go wrong. No matter how much work you put in, or how many boxes you check, or safeguards you put in place, the reality is that things break. When it’s your business that’s impacted by these things, no matter how small they are, it can make you crazy.
If you’re the type of person who’s started a business, chances are you have a fair amount of the Type-A, control-freak mentality in your personality. I know I do, and I know most of the people we talk to feel similarly. It’s hard to relinquish control of core elements of your work, and it’s even harder to accept it when things go wrong.
Here’s the thing though – there are degrees of problems in running a business. Sometimes the thing that seems critically important to you is actually only important to you. Obsessing over getting that web page just right and your CMS just won’t cooperate can make you crazy, but at the end of the day, does it matter? Every day we choose what we’re going to focus on, and how much time we’re going to spend on it, whether those decisions are made consciously or not. The problems arise when unexpected issues crop up and chew into your time when you didn’t expect them to.
Our latest episode of the Create Smarter Podcast is all about when things go wrong. We dive into some stories of times when we’ve hit walls in the first few years of running our business, and talk about what we’ve learned from them. We also discuss trying to differentiate between the problems that absolutely need to be addressed and solved compared to those that are living rent free in your head without needing to.
You can listen to the full episode below, and you can find the podcast on Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, Soundcloud, or Google Play. Please be sure to subscribe and share with a friend you think would like this content.
