Risk & Business Magazine California Risk & Business Magazine Summer 2017 | Page 5

BUSINESS ROADBLOCKS
Getting Out Of The Way:
Are You The Roadblock In Your Business?
T
he other day, a client shared
with me how stressed and
frustrated he was. No matter
what he did, he just couldn’t
get his head above water.
This is a common complaint I hear from
entrepreneurs when I start working with
them. Being an entrepreneur takes a high
level of passion, courage, and dedication.
But that passion, courage, and dedication
can also lead many to unintentionally
sabotage their own business.
What is interesting about stressed or
frustrated entrepreneurs is that many left
their previous careers because they no
longer wished to be stressed or frustrated.
They had an inspiring vision of freedom,
balance, and fulfillment. But then, just as
quickly, the same disheartening experience
they sought to escape reappears.
When one really considers the insanity of
that reality, you have to stop and question
what brought you to the same result. Now,
some entrepreneurs will claim they “thrive”
off of stress, long workdays, and pressure.
And hey, if that’s working for you, great!
But if what you desire most is freedom,
balance, and fulfillment, it’s going to
require a different approach.
In work culture, we are programmed to
believe that taking on more responsibility
is how we become affluent, prosperous,
and successful. However, in growing a
business, true affluence, prosperity, and
success is about releasing responsibility,
not acquiring it.
My favorite question to ask entrepreneurs
is “Why do you want to run your business?”
Inevitability, like clockwork, they will
respond with their vision for creating
their own destiny and some new inspiring
product or service. But that was not the
question I asked. Having a vision is VERY
different than running a business. And
most entrepreneurs assume that just
because they envisioned the business, it
means they must also run it. But if we look
to the corporate world, we see the most
effective way to build a big business is to
let others run it. In other words, get out of
your own way.
In my experience, most entrepreneurs are
innovators and visionaries at heart. They
are inspired by creating new possibilities
in the world. They are not inspired by
dealing with the daily details of running
a complex business. But more often than
not, most entrepreneurs exhaust 95
percent of their workweek in the weeds
of running their business rather than
focusing on what they love most, thereby
re-creating the same disheartening trap
they experienced when employed. And
worse, they now have no one to blame but
themselves.
To clarify, I’m not suggesting there
aren’t moments when entrepreneurs
need to address things that may not feel
completely inspiring to them. However,
it’s critical those moments be moments
and not become an everyday existence.
Only your inner saboteurs would have you
believe no one else can run your business
as effectively or there’s no way to acquire
funding to hire others. Both of these
are false, sabotaging beliefs. There are
countless experts far more capable than us
in running a big business. And there are
countless ways to compensate them that
may only require a fraction of the funding
we may think is needed.
Take a moment today to consider if you are
truly inspired by the idea of running your
business or if you are more inspired by
the idea of simply being the visionary for
your business. If running your business is
not what’s most fulfilling to you, then it’s
time to create a new game plan. Focusing
on what you love most and letting others
focus on what they love most will give your
business the freedom and foundation it
needs to grow to its true full potential. +
BY: MARK DARREN GREGOR
EXECUTIVE & LEADERSHIP COACH
Mark Darren Gregor is an Executive
& Leadership Coach who works with
entrepreneurs and leaders worldwide. He
helps clients reduce stress, maximize
performance,
and
deepen
overall
professional fulfillment. To learn more,
visit: www.GoWithInNow.com.
5