The economic challenges of the past couple of years have left many focusing on business survival. Previously financially healthy organisations have suffered, and now it feels like it is just about making it through the next month.
Thinking purely about business survival may help you and your company keep going, but will it help it recover and grow?
I’m here to say, ‘don’t just survive, thrive’.
After going through so many challenges in recent years, survival seems the most important goal. We just want to live to fight another day.
But when you shift your focus beyond business survival to thoughts of thriving, you can come out of these challenges stronger, fitter, and with a greater chance of success.
Business Survival
Surviving and thriving are two different things.
To survive means doing enough just to get by. Thriving, on the other hand, means not just keeping going, but conquering the challenge you face and growing in spite, or perhaps because, of it.
When you are focused on business survival, the sad truth is that whatever is challenging you does not go away. It becomes a constant battle with an unchanging enemy. For many organisations, it is almost like delaying the inevitable – a challenge unchanged will eventually bring you down.
If you shift your focus to thriving, you take charge of the situation. Rather than dealing with a challenge’s daily symptoms, you identify your enemy, analyse and assess it, and then tackle it head-on. Treat the illness, not the symptoms.
The challenges that so many businesses have faced in the past couple of years have been overwhelming. So overwhelming that the very idea of overcoming them may seem laughable.
But there have been many examples of businesses that grasped the nettle, adapted to new circumstances, and thrived rather than simply survived. Restaurants that turned to home delivery and companies that quickly introduced virtual meetings with clients in place of face-to-face conversations spring to mind.
How to Take Charge
I am not, of course, suggesting that thriving is easy. Some of the challenges businesses face feel almost beyond their control and will test even the most stubborn person.
But the sense of accomplishment from just trying will enrich your life. Constantly fighting for business survival will grind you down so that even if you succeed, you feel beaten. Standing up to the challenges, and feeling a sense of tenacity and determination, adds value to your life.
Taking charge of a situation requires your focus and attention. So how do you achieve it? Here are some thoughts:
Avoid Procrastinating
Procrastination is the thief of time, and we all know that time waits for no man. The more you procrastinate, the longer the challenge last. Some situations require immediate action, and procrastination may lead you to miss out on an open opportunity.
No Fear
Nothing kills a dream faster than fear! The fear of losing, the fear of being seen as a failure, the fear of messing things up. Fear leads to people settling for less. When you give room to fear, it stops you from discovering your full potential. Stop worrying about the negative what-ifs and start thinking about the positives.
Have a Goal
To achieve success, you need to have a goal. Know what you want, what thriving looks like, and you know how to direct your work.
Be Committed
When you decide to take charge of a situation, you must be fully committed. It is difficult to thrive when you lack commitment.
Beyond Business Survival
If success is more to you than just getting through the next week, then you need to shift your mindset. You need to stop obsessing about simple business survival and start thinking about how your business can thrive, not just survive.
Don’t keep treating the symptoms with your head in the sand; tackle the root cause of your challenges. See how your business can adapt, rationalise, and even take advantage of the opportunities these challenges present. See a future of success and growth, not just an endless cycle of hand-to-mouth survival.
Every challenge is also an opportunity. How you decide to face it makes the difference between business survival and a thriving business.
