When you're stalled ...

Stepping out and choosing to start your own venture can be a daunting prospect and this fear of the unknown and doing something "on my own" is what stops many from even attempting it. I recently listened to @MyronGolden, a 63-year-old entrepreneur based in Tampa, Florida talk about how he struggled to find his groove with his business for over 10 years. So, for 10 years his business was not "working". Yet, he now makes millions of dollars through his business each month and teaches others how to do the same. The story made me think of the word stalled, defined as "to stop or cause to stop making progress."

Have you ever been stalled? I've had times when things just don't seem to work - I do all I know to do but no progress is evident. This is a pretty universal experience - in any endeavour, we encounter periods of seeming stalling or stuckness. Whether trying to lose weight and build muscle, finding the right talent to grow your team, developing that breakthrough strategy or working on improving a relationship. The stall can be hugely disruptive and cause you to give up, thinking what you're doing does not work.

However, when we listen to people we consider leaders or mentors, they all have experienced a stall or several in their journey. Oprah for example, talks about the time when she was demoted, and sent to do her boss's laundry and babysit his children. Being treated in this way does not reinforce your value and sense of progress - the opposite happens. Consequently many would give up thinking "I'm not making any progress and what I do is not being valued". In @Oprah's case, this period of apparent lack of progress was actually how life was setting her up for what would become her life's mission.

What's on the other side of your stall? For @MyronGolden it is an Inc 5000 Fastest Growing Company and for @Oprah, it's an international media empire. What I see looking back at my stalls, is how life was getting me ready for the next opportunity. All the new skills I learned, the amazing new people I interacted with and the amazing experiences I could learn from. So there is no stall in reality - it's simply progress you cannot yet see. Sometimes you work out for months with no visible change, and then suddenly, what looked like a stall or plateau turns into progress. My message, take heart if you're experiencing your stall - business or career, there is something worth waiting for just on the other side. Hang on, and you'll make it through.