What Do You Do When You "Hit the Wall"?

Many of you know that I am a runner.  Most of you don’t know that I took the summer off to let my knee heal (I stepped in a hole and twisted it). Yesterday I ran my first half marathon in my long climb back into shape. I figured “it’s only 13 miles.” I’ve been back in training but had not run this distance yet. I figured, “No Brainer.”  For the first 8 miles was doing great. Then I hit the wall.  I ran out of energy.  This surprised me since normally I wouldn’t hit the wall that early in a marathon. I realized that I wasn’t in as good a shape as I thought. However, I slogged through it and finished the half marathon.

It reminded me of what happens in business when we “Hit the wall.” Everything we try to do for a certain period of time isn’t working. One disaster after another happens. We get tired of the fight.  We have to maintain a great disposition and attitude for our employees…even when we feel distracted, frustrated, and stressed out.

What gets you through?  Mental energy.  Mental energy gets you through when you hit the wall running.  Mental energy gets you through when you hit the wall in business.   

How do you develop this?  Here are some things I use:

1. Write in a journal.  I use one of the marble composition books that we used as kids.  I write three good things that happened every day.  I admit, when I’ve “hit the wall” sometimes it’s tough to come up with three good things.

2. Remember why you are in business.  There had to be something that got you into it.  What was it? Why do you enjoy it?  And, if you really don’t want to do this, then get out. Life is too short not to do something that you enjoy.

Like never firing someone when you are angry, the decision to stop running your business is not a decision to make when you’ve hit the wall.

Remember the excitement that you had when you started. If you’re honest, you also had some fear…could you actually do it?  Could you support yourself, your family, and your

employees’ families? The fear and excitement kept you going. It can keep you going when you “Hit the wall.”

3. Talk to others.  And, you want to talk with people who won’t have a “pity party” with you.  I’ve seen it happen.  In an association meeting, all the owners are grumbling and

complaining.  Find someone who will not complain with you but force you to look at what one thing you can do every day to help you go around the wall.

4. Know that “The Wall” is temporary.  You can get through it. You can go around it.  You can accomplish the goals that you set out to accomplish.

Think about it. It’s all about your frame of mind.