Entrepreneur Beginners Guide
“Act in Spite of How You Feel”
A clear understanding of negative emotions dismisses them. —Vernon Howard, author, philosopher
If I had missed this huge opportunity, my company would have possibly left millions on the table.During the previous two nights, I had gotten three hours of sleep. I was exhausted and needed rest badly. My eyes were blood-shot, I had a slight headache, and I was growing irritable. During a national conference for entrepreneurs, I was working diligently as an instructor, finishing up a major project for my company, working on a new book, and entertaining friends who were also in town. I was overwhelmed. I was used to a less intensive ‘schedule. To make matters more challenging, I was still adjusting to a time-zone change.
During the last night of the conference, when attendees were dressed in their best suits and gowns to enjoy the culminating gala and enthusiastic to make final contacts, my mind was elsewhere. While I should have been energetic and ready to speak with everyone I could about my business, I was more concerned with eating dinner and going to sleep afterward. I couldn’t wait for the end of the conference so I could rest.
As I walked around the ballroom noticing the different tables labeled with Fortune 100 sponsors, I passed the table of a large financial services company that for months I had been trying to gain as a client. When I saw the table, I was instantly reminded that one of the main reasons I attended the conference was to pursue new business for my new start-up, a data analytics company. As opposed to many of the other corporate tables, the financial services company table was full of representatives from the company. At this moment I was determined to not let my sleep deprivation ruin my chances of making a great connection.
Realizing the need to take advantage of the big opportunity, I eventually overcame my lethargy and unwillingness to connect with people. 1 conjured up every ounce of energy left in my body. With newfound strength and excitement, I gave the entire table my sixty-second pitch. At first I thought it didn’t go over well. By the looks on their faces, they seemed uninterested. I thought that my words had fallen on deaf ears, but then things turned for the good. One gentleman next to where I was standing at the table turned toward me and said that he was interested in my product. He understood the concept instantly and genuinely seemed excited about it. Before I knew it, he handed me his business card and told me to contact him.
This gentleman was a company vice president in charge of buying the technology that my company offers. What I had tried to do for months just occurred in a few seconds, all because I was able to push through the inertia of my negative feelings. If I had let my emotions rule, I would have walked right past that table. I would have missed perhaps one of the biggest connections in my business life.
Winning entrepreneurs act in spite of how they feel. It’s not always easy to do so. In fact, overcoming what we feel like doing versus what we should be doing is a daily battle in all areas of life, but it is a battle you must win. As you move forward toward your business goals, don’t let your emotions cause you to miss a phenomenal, life-changing opportunity. If you do, you could be missing out on a lot of money.
