#2: LET GO OF THE NEED FOR CERTAINTY.
One of the hardest things as a solopreneur is to learn to dance with uncertainty. As humans, we like predictability. We like the certainty of 1+1=2.
We want to know with certainty what’s going to happen next, and we want to know now!
But the reality is, building a business isn’t a linear process. There are unexpected zigs. There are unanticipated zags. And learning to hang on tight and lean in to the bends in the road is part of the journey. If you allow your natural need for certainty to rule your business, you’ll soon find yourself derailed, frustrated, and going nowhere.
We are wired to crave certainty and security, and do everything we can to create it, preserve it, and cling to it for dear life. If you want certainty that badly (and if you do, that’s totally ok), you may need to get a job and earn a predictable (but perhaps less satisfying) paycheck working for someone else. But, if you’re like me and the thought of getting a job feels like a prison sentence, you’re gonna have to learn to accept and lean in to uncertainty.
The first step to letting go of certainty is to accept it as part of your journey as a solopreneur.
Know that it’s a totally normal (if sometimes brutal) part of being a business owner. That’s right, you heard me. Uncertainty in your business is NORMAL. It happens. It’s real. And if you’re experiencing uncertainty in your business right now, you didn’t do anything wrong. You’re not a failure. You’re totally and completely right where you should be.
So let’s get real about this. Sometimes you won’t know how that partnership project is going to pan out. Sometimes you need to pause because you don’t know exactly what to do next. Sometimes you won’t know where your next paycheck is coming from, or why your usual marketing channels aren’t producing leads this quarter. It’s a normal part of being in business.
And it’s ok.
Sometimes just knowing that you need to let go of certainty will help you take that next small-but-powerful step forward. It will create space for the perfect idea to come to the surface, or allow you to see what was hidden behind your fixation on knowing the outcome. And most importantly, it will help you strengthen your ability to adapt and be resilient – qualities that will lead you straight down the path of greater success.
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