Have you read my massive post titled, “The 90-Day Hustle: How to Build a Successful 6-Figure Agency From Home”? If not, go ahead and do that right now, and I’ll meet you back here.
If you have, I’ve got a question for you. Does a particular word stand out when you read the title of that post?
Let me make it easy for you: hustle. I try to focus only on teaching the people who aren’t afraid to do just that. I know that’s you or else you wouldn’t be here today.
Sometimes, however, hustling can burn you out and make you feel as if you just can’t go another day tackling more business to-dos on your list. It’s not easy—from organizing donut bombs to reel in local clients to conducting a trial run, unlocking recurring revenue, and managing day-to-day tasks and client relationships. Oh, yeah, all while trying to scale your business?
Phew.
I’m exhausted just from typing all of that out.
So, of course, throwing in the towel would be the more comfortable option versus to keep on keepin’ on. Right?
Absolutely. There’s no shame in that. But, that’s the last thing you want to do. Trust me. Because, as one of my favorite sayings goes:
“I’d rather hustle 24/7 than slave 9 to 5.”
So freaking true. If you’re with me on that, I’m here to save you from going back to the drawing board. Hold tight a little longer and stick with me. The roller coaster ride of entrepreneurship is a bumpy one. I know that for a fact.
That said, I’ve got some tips up my sleeve to share with you today to help you continue building your agency even when you feel like calling it quits.
1. Revisit your “why.”
There’s a reason we all choose to do what we do. For starters, we want to challenge ourselves, spend more time with family, getaway on a whim to a Caribbean island or ski slope to shred some fresh powder. Or, even simply enjoy a more flexible lifestyle that doesn’t revolve around a dwindling number of PTO days and sitting at an office desk all day long.
But, it’s easy to venture away from your “why” when you’re grinding day in and day out. After all, your losses and setbacks might be in your face more often than your wins. Thus, you focus on those and lose sight of how far you’ve come and how worth it this journey really is.
That said, go ahead and revisit the reason why you started in the first place. You’ll be happy you did. As Seth Godin writes in his book titled “The Dip,” which is about recognizing a temporary setback that can be overcome with persistence or knowing when to quit:
“Quitting when you hit the Dip is a bad idea. If the journey you started was worth doing, then quitting when you hit the Dip just wastes the time you’ve already invested. Quit in the Dip often enough and you’ll find yourself becoming a serial quitter, starting many things but accomplishing little.”
The second you recognize this entrepreneurial journey you started is worth it is the second you’ll recognize you’re capable of powering through this mental roadblock to continue building the life you want.
2. Connect with other like-minded entrepreneurs.
Dr. Steve Maraboli, a life-changing speaker and best-selling author, has a saying that goes, “If you hang out with chickens, you’re going to cluck and if you hang out with eagles, you’re going to fly.”
What the heck does that even mean, you ask? Well, as entrepreneurs, it’s easy to lose track of our goals if we aren’t holding ourselves accountable and, most importantly, being held accountable by like-minded people. If we’re hanging around those who are always fearful of approaching the next steep drop on the roller coaster-esque journey of entrepreneurship, most likely, we’ll find ourselves becoming fearful too.
Therefore, take the time to connect and forge relationships with like-minded entrepreneurs who are ready to help you stick it out—through every single up and down. And, if you’re wondering where you can find these people, here are some ideas:
- Become a chamber ambassador. Join the local Chamber of Commerce and then volunteer to be a “Chamber Ambassador.” If you do this, your job will be to show up and support other local businesses when they do ribbon cuttings. The Chamber loves to have a crowd when this happens, and the ambassadors are the people who always show up. This is a great way to get on someone’s radar without getting in their face.
- Join Business Networking International (BNI). This organization offers the perfect opportunity to network with other business owners. But, it only allows one person for each business type to join each group. What this means is, in your group, there will be only one digital marketer, one mortgage officer, one real estate agent…one type of person from each business. You’ll get to know and support each other and various industries!
- Get involved with charity work. Ninety percent of the time, the other people volunteering and working at charity events are going to be other business owners, or their employees. People who volunteer tend to be people who are trying to get their name out in their community and get to know other people. (And yes, they are trying to do good things for their community, too.) Talk about a win-win to meet your kind of crew!
Ultimately, just find people who you can make a pact with, so to speak. I’m talking about people who will, without a doubt, hold you accountable and force you to stick to your guns. This also helps you remember you’re not going at this alone. People have your back. And, you’ve got theirs.
3. Make a pact with yourself to keep going.
While it’s important to have others on your side, it’s just as important for you to be on your own side too. That’s because it’s easy to get bogged down by your own negative thoughts—thoughts about not being cut out for the job, quitting would be better than persevering, and so on.
So, make a pact with yourself to conquer self-doubt and be your own biggest fan. Yes, you. Here’s a question to help you get into the right mindset: ever think professional athletes or olympians want to throw in the towel some days?
You bet they do. But, they mentally decide to keep going and keep believing in themselves and their capabilities. And, that’s in part because they realize, as Seth Godin explains in his book “The Dip,” that the pain of the Dip (aka the final test of the quit zone) is worth the benefit of the light at the end of the tunnel.
4. Get comfortable asking for help.
Most entrepreneurs know that, as you grow and grow, you’ll have less time and energy on your side to keep doing all the things on your own as a party of one. And, while you may feel like you can be Superman or Superwoman and take on everything on your own, maybe the reason you feel like quitting is the better (or only) option is because it’s all becoming too much to handle.
If that’s the case, it just might be the time to get comfortable asking for help. I know, I know. It can feel like pulling teeth. The truth is, it’s not something that comes easy. You know, relinquishing control to someone that’s not, well, you.
But, help—in the form of a virtual assistant (VA)—can give you some time back on your side versus clocking 80-90 hours a week and experiencing burnout (or even letting important projects slip through the cracks!). Talk about a lifesaver.
If you’re curious about the process you should take to find a VA, the qualifications you should look for, and the onboarding process you should have in your agency toolbox, you’ll want to read this.
5. Just get back in the saddle.
Experiencing failure as an entrepreneur and agency owner is inevitable. Believe me. Sometimes, however, you might feel as if failure isn’t an option for your business. What does that lead to?
As soon as you experience a project setback or lose a client (for various reasons), it may take you some time to recover. And, you might not want to do much of anything—from scouting out a new client to fill the void to continuing your business to-dos.
But, the last thing you should be doing is moping around for too long. I say that because, occasionally, all it takes for you to get your mojo back is to grab hold of a big (or small!) win. Extract the lessons you learned from your #fail, embrace it, and get back in the saddle so you can move forward! As soon as you do, you’ll find you’ll continue propelling your agency in the right direction.
Now, will you make a pact with me to keep on keepin’ on your Facebook agency journey—even when things don’t seem to go as planned? I’ve got your back, and we’re in this together!
Speaking of having your back, if you’re craving more of what was shared today, and want to obtain access to some of my secrets of success, I invite you to join my masterclass—How Ben Adkins Makes $10K Every Month Without a Membership Site or Software.
It’s specifically designed for people who want scalable, recurring revenue. And, after you apply my tactics, you’ll be able to simply repeat the process to create whatever level of wealth you want on demand.
What are some of your go-to tips to keep you going when you feel like throwing in the towel?
