'What's gonna happen, Nige?"

This is different. I get that.

It absolutely is scary.

But right now, the two absolute worst things you can do are:

1) News wallow

Trying to follow every twist and turn on the news might be tempting but it’s foolish in the extreme.

It’s bad for your mental health and seriously bad for your business.

Because the news f***s your mind.

We hunger for news in the hope that it will provide answers – and that those answers will be a comfort. But it won’t.

The people producing the news are ‘catastrophists’, driven by viewing figures, clicks and shares. They’re crack dealers fuelling addiction.

Just say no.

As Clare Foges says in The Times today “Endlessly checking the news to release our anxiety is like glugging salt water to relieve our thirst; initially comforting, but ultimately massively counterproductive.”

2) Social Media

Anyone running a business would benefit from ‘self-isolating’ from social media.

Tune out the endless stream of fear and doomsday scenarios – because your brain can’t cope.

As humans we hold on to negative information and dwell on it. It’s the scary stuff that sticks – and that isn’t helpful. At all.

We’ve been slower than we should to ensure that the EC Facebook Group remains a place of ‘practical positivity’. That is being addressed today. All you will find in that group is practical help and assistance. It will be an oasis of positivity in a desert of social media misery.

“But Nige, what’s going to happen?”

I don’t know, but the most likely scenario is that things are going to get very strange and then…

…it will get better.

Because this too shall pass.

And there are many reasons to be cheerful.

The truth is that 80% of us that get this thing will suffer only mild symptoms. Unfortunately, a small percentage of people who get it will die – and the most susceptible seem to be those who are the most vulnerable in our society.

Because of this people are panicking and doing stupid things.

But at some point, they’ll stop panicking.

One of the main reasons for the panic is social media where all sorts of bullshit ‘information’ is being spouted, usually by well-meaning but ultimately irresponsible individuals.

Your ability to discern and think accurately are the foundations on which your very survivability will be built. Your ability to discern and think accurately has never been more important and fortunately, as entrepreneurs, we tend to be way better at this than Joe Average.

Your business is going to be impacted – and for 99.8% of businesses that impact ain’t gonna be good.

Your market is worried. Full of uncertainty. Disrupted.

And plenty of stupid businesses in your space are doing stupid things – like sending those thought-free Corona emails that say “we’re taking precautions, wash your hands etc”.

It’s like GDPR all over again. Idiots.

That’s not what your customers want to hear.

They’re looking for leadership and you can provide it.

Tell ‘em how it is.

Stand up for common sense.

The world isn’t actually going to end.

Ask for their support.

Call them to arms.

But don’t do what everyone else is doing.

Drinking the saltwater of panic is stupid and self-fulfilling. Your business will die.

I know this is going to be difficult.

I know that things are going to get worse before they get better.

Your ability to think clearly and accurately – and then execute, is what will get you through this.

Many people aren’t going to be in the game – you can be.

What that game looks like and how you play it will evolve and change. We are in unchartered waters.

And who you hang around with matters.

Here at EC, we’ll be with you every step of the way. On your side. Helping.

Cutting through the crap.

Focusing on the future.

Providing you with the tools and the guidance to get through this…

And that's why next Tuesday (24th March), we're running a FREE Virtual Event: Operation Protect

It will start at 10am and finish at 3:30pm with content breaks in between.

During the event, I'll be sharing the essential steps you need to take in your business (right now!) to protect yourself from the economic madness and recession that we are about to enter.

>>> https://entrepreneurscircle.org/operation-protect/ <<<

And wash your hands…...

Nigel