It’s almost painful to keep going.
You feel derailed.
You know what your business needs you to do but you’re just not doing it.
It’s like there is a pile on money in front of you but you just can’t reach it.
Though you have no willpower and are scared to keep going, you decide to keep pushing.
But just when you are on the threshold of accomplishing a very complex task or learning something new, a big wall seems to surface from nowhere.
It’s big, it’s overpowering and it’s impossible to climb over.
You feel challenged.
“Why can’t I seem to break through these mental blocks?” You ask.
You are not alone
Worry not.
Mental blocks happen to the best of us. It’s the way we human beings are wired.
Anybody who has ever pursued a goal will confess that.
Mental blocks are strangely a part of doing business. They help us measure our progress and in their own weird way, they are necessary for a businesses growth and maturity.
The important thing is how things end. You don’t want a small block to derail you and end your progress.
To get back to focus, you have to retrain your brain to get back to where you want it to be. There is no magic wand. It takes work.
It may seem difficult at first but remember, nothing is ever as difficult as it seems.
Allow me to take you on a journey where we’ll explore some tips and tricks that will change your world:
1. Get over being Mr/Miss Perfect
The truth is, you could be facing a mental block because you are getting in your own way by waiting for perfection.
But here’s the reality: perfection does not exist.
Whatever project you are on, there will always be 3 versions of it:
- The version you wanted to create.
- The version you created.
- The version you wish you had created.
Accept this and you will have taken your first step to getting started.
Keep at it and you shall get better with time.
Remember, no effort, no matter how small, is ever wasted.
2. Go “Four Deep” to find your why
You must be wondering, “What on earth is four deep?”
Let me explain.
Four deep is a term that refers to going down four layers.
In order to go Four Deep into overcoming your mental block, you need to make a statement then answer the question “So that?” four times.
Allow me to clarify: Let’s say you are trying to design a course and cannot for the life of you muster up the enthusiasm to get started. Start by writing down the phrase, “I need to design my course” then answering the question “So that?” four times as shown below:
1. I need to design my course
So that…
2. I can send it to my mailing list
So that…
3. I can get customers
So that
4. I can make money
So that…
5. I can pay my rent
You see what we did there? The reason for creating the course just got clearer and it’s no longer an ambiguous, big project that leaves you overwhelmed.
As the saying goes, once you know your why, everything else falls into place.
3. Eat the elephant one bite at a time (and reward yourself for each bite)
I don’t know who came up with the analogy, “How do you eat an elephant?One bite at a time” but it makes alot of sense when it comes to overcoming a mental block.
You can use this analogy to get started if you are finding it hard to focus on your bigger picture.
Kind of like eating a double burger from one corner and taking small chewable bites.
In the same way, break down your project into smaller goals which are SMART— Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant and Time bound.
Write these down, pin them where you can’t ignore them then get to work.
Our brains also love rewards. So reward yourself after each accomplishment. For example if you like chocolate, keep a chocolate bar on your desk and vow not to touch it until you’ve completed a specific task.
Kind of like teaching a dog new tricks. Works like a charm.
All the tasks will add up as you go along and soon, you’ll be making incremental progress, feeling a sense of accomplishement, and eating lots of chocolate.
4. Allow yourself to veer off course
Surprisingly, going off course can put you back on track. Strange but true.
It works by giving your mind a much needed break from all the stress.
So take a day off and do something completely unrelated to your project.
For this to be effective, do something that involves one of the 5 senses; Sight, hearing, smell, taste or touch. You can play the guitar, cook a nice meal or go wine tasting.
Take the pressure off yourself and savour the moment.
Allow your mind to destress and come back rejuvenated.
5. Tailor your environment to minimize the pain points
Human beings hate to do anything that seems like too much work. (Yes, we are peculiar beings.)
When you are having a mental block, your brain will look for any excuse not to get started and as there are no bosses around, it can make you, well, lazy.
To get over this, list the pain points of your work environment and see how you can mitigate them to avoid friction. Even something as small as the thought of opening your laptop can read as hard work so leave it open.
Here are a few other “leave the lights on” suggestions:
- Set up your workplace such that it’s easy to access your desk and your chair.
- If you like to snack, have some snacks handy so you don’t have to keep getting up.
- Leave the things that you need on your desk the night before for example, if you are a photographer, leave your camera set up.
- Have noise cancelling headphones handy so you can put them should the outside noise get too distracting.
These are just a few examples that will leave no room for excuses for your brain.
6. Hold yourself accountable
As legend goes, a king and his men once went to a deserted island and wanted to take it over. Unfortunately, they found hostile tribesmen who were ready to fight them.
The king could have turned around and gone back but instead, he commanded his men to burn the boats they had arrived on. That way, they would fight knowing that there was no turning back.
They’d be second chances.
They put themselves in a win or die situation.
As legend has it, they won.
Now I don’t know if the story is true or it is just a myth but thinking of yourself as being on a deserted island where the project infront of you will determine your survival works.
You can do your version of the fight or die situation by giving 1,000$ to a trusted friend and telling them not to give it back to you until you are done.
When it’s do or die, you’ll have no choice but to keep going
There’s no turning back.
7. Be gentle with yourself and unplug
There are times when the brain just needs to take time off. It’s a sign that you have been giving your all to your business and nothing to yourself.
Trying to keep going during such times is like flogging a dead horse.
This is not the time for breakthrough ideas and aha moments.
What you need is to unplug and take time to rebuild a relationship with yourself. After all, you cannot give from an empty cup.
Do things you find relaxing; Exercise, take your dog for a walk and if you like watching cat videos on Youtube, do so guilt-free.
You can also listen to encouraging meditation. There are videos on Youtube that remind you that you are strong, you are powerful and you can do anything that you set your mind to.
Journaling can also be very effective as it transfers all the negative energy into the piece of paper. Start your sentences with soul searching statements like:
- I feel….
- I don’t know what to say because…
- What I want is…
Don’t fret about your business. Once you are rested and rejuvenated, it will be right there where you left it. Waiting for you with loving open arms.
8. Put pen to paper
Make a habit of reflecting on your day every evening.
Before retiring to bed, write down three things:
- What went well.
- What you could have done better.
- What you could have done differently.
The next day, start off with a writen agenda for the day. The agenda should include a game plan for achieving what you did not manage to achieve the previous day. The focus should be on continuous improvement.
Writing things down makes you hold yourself accountable and keeps you centred.
Believe in yourself and buy into what you are doing. If something seems particularly difficult, don’t rush. Make baby steps and appreciate them.
Now’s not the time to keep up with the Joneses. Your time is coming.
9. Pivot
Sometimes, you have to accept that you are in the wrong business or you are following a business model that is not the right fit for you and your brain has been trying to tell you this all along.
Do some serious soul searching. Speak to others in the market and see what drastic changes you need to make.
Once you have all the facts, don’t be afraid to go back to the drawing board and rethink, revise, and reorganize your business.
You might just discover that the path you were on was not the right one and the journey to recommitment might just surprise you.
Appreciate that a new life lies ahead.
It may seem hard at first and you may feel like you’d wasted precious time all along but do not fret. Take it as a challenge.
Going back to the drawing board is always easier the second time around.
10. Reach out — maybe what you need is to heal not hustle
Sometimes mental blocks can be caused by something that goes deeper. Something from your past or some suppressed fears that need to be dealt with.
There could be a reason why you alway seem to end up in dead-end-no-future scenarios. Why you always seem to need more sleep and are always in more tears than everyone else.
It’s times like these when you just need to ignore all those who keep telling you to get off your chair and get in gear as you still have a damn business to run.
Accept that you may be at a place where quick remedies will not fix things.
Sit down with a therapist and do some rewiring of your brain. It may take time but it could be the best thing you’ve ever done.
At the end of the day, your mental health is more important than any business.
Jump right on in
In future, if you have a bad 2 weeks, it will not be the end of world.
You’ve realised that getting over mental block is doable so you’ll be able to get back on your feet.
You’ll be able to recommit and get back on the horse.
Failure will not stop you because you’ll have the tips and tricks to get back on track and soon, you’ll be ticking those goals off your list effortlessly.
So dare to do something awesome.
Don’t let fear paralyze you.
Don’t let your mental blocks stop you.
The whole world is waiting for your special gift.
So get to work.
You’ve got this.