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Living with regret is one of the greatest fears we all share. Even those who seem to have a careless way of navigating life are no doubt compensating for a fear of living in conformity. But what do you do when the way you approach business — or even your identity as a business leader — shifts so much that you lose your equilibrium?
Here are three strategies to help you keep your balance even if the core of your motivation — your "why" — changes.
Redefine your vision of success
Socrates is quoted as saying, "The unexamined life is not worth living." It's important to reevaluate your core values on a regular basis and make sure they line up with the goals you are diligently pursuing. You get to define what success looks like, so make sure you aren't following someone else's blueprint. I knew from my early years that I would not be happy crunching numbers in a cubicle or writing lengthy articles in a coffee shop. My happy place is helping people, and my job in broadcast media allows me to do that regularly.
Knowing your personality and your preferences is only half the battle, though. When life happens, you may need to alter your original vision. Having a family, for example, may mean taming the thrill-seeker or the trophy hound in you. Navigating a disability may impose limitations, but you may also need to get out of your comfort zone, overcome your fears and take the stage.
It's important to recognize when your model for success isn't working and adjust. I've learned that every business is a process, and the road to success is not always a straight line. Along the way, my team and I have found the rhythm, whether filming a television show or preparing for a keynote speech. Be willing to adjust as your experiences inform you.
Related: Why You Are So Resistant to Change — And How to Overcome It
Network with people who challenge you
Just as you don't have to build Rome in a day, you also don't have to build it yourself. Once your business is up and running, make it a habit to connect with a variety of people who can help you analyze what is working and what is not working for your company. Although you certainly can't take everyone's advice, be willing to listen to what they have to say. You may discover a key to a problem in a single conversation.
One of my biggest dreams was to become a corporate keynote speaker. I worked really hard reading everything I could on how to captivate an audience, how to build a following and so on. A media coach told me, "Nancy, you can't have it both ways," meaning that my business wasn't keynote speeches; my business was me. My uniqueness was my journey through life and business navigating vision loss. It's vital that you know what makes you stand out, but you should be ready to seize that bit of magic dust — or good advice — that will take a good idea and manifest it into a great career.
One way of encountering transformative ideas is to get out of your comfort zone and network with people who are not in your field. Tech gurus sharing their insight with creatives; management checking in with the employees on the front lines; marketing working with accounting to devise a program to track expenses — a single key concept can revolutionize the way we think about a business plan. If you're launching a new initiative, don't be afraid to run it by friends or find mentors who could help you avoid costly delays or confusion.
Related: Why Discovering Your 'Why' Is the No. 1 Business Move
Have a "nothing is sacred" attitude
We've all worked for bosses who couldn't give up tradition for more effective ways of doing business. If we're not careful, we can hold onto "sacred cows," or particular methods of doing business rather than staying open to change.
This stubborn need for stasis can be reflected in the goals you set when you started your business. Your original dream may have been to open the biggest drive-in-only restaurant chain when you first started. But in the age of online order and delivery services, you might have to pivot.
I was a real estate agent in Los Angeles when my vision began to rapidly deteriorate. This revolutionary change meant I could no longer drive. It also meant that on the day of an open house, I had to take multiple buses across town and arrive several hours early to memorize the layout of the place. Soon, I had to admit to my clients that not only was I unable to drive, but I also might need their help navigating sunken living rooms or rough terrain.
Eventually, I had to come clean and share my disability with my clients. To my surprise, they volunteered to drive us around the neighborhood or help me gather yard signs. Your willingness to become vulnerable will inspire others to help you; it will also free people to share their own struggles. When people in business connect at this level, it is often a most productive environment because every staff member and every client feels they are being heard.
As in life, your perspective in business will shift many times, and it is important to sense the new season. When the winds change direction, you may have to find your "why" all over again. This kind of self-evaluation is an opportunity to think about where you started, how far you have come and whether your original destination is still a place you want to go.
