As an entrepreneur high energy levels through ups and downs are essential. Still you are as an entrepreneur a mere human being, no superpowers attached. The entrepreneur is often working alone in his/her role and even with employees the entrepreneur personally is the driving force empowering the business and staff through business sense, visionary views and pure hard work.
How do you do that?
Self-management is a key component. As an entrepreneur it is core work to recognize and work with the close link between you as a person and your business.
Investors often say they do not invest in business ideas, they invest in the entrepreneur. Attracting business is a lot easier when you are on top of your game and almost impossible when smell of despair is in the air. Recruiting productive and skilful staff to a growing business which has not yet reached the established levels that gives credit to the name requires that personal touch of building “the place to be”. The key component to successful entrepreneurship is personal.
That is why you need to work with yourself. Nobody would believe an athlete who shows up one day saying” I’m going to be in the Olympics and the way I am going to get there is to just run, fast. Faster than anyone else.” We all know that athlete will also have to manage food intake, rest between practice, variation in effort and recovery, pick the best choices of equipment etc. As an entrepreneur going for the big win you are like that athlete. It is not enough to just throw in long hours to succeed.
To keep a high energy level in your entrepreneurship (through these long hours that yes, probably will be part of your success), you need to work smart on managing yourself. Just as an athlete surrounds herself with trainers, nutritionists, masseurs and different support staff for different needs you need to surround yourself with support on all the needs of your business.
Business coaching and advisors are a good part of it, supporting you in how to build your business. Mentors and inspirational role models are good help to use the experience of others and steer away from some stumbling blocks. But you also need the resource that becomes your PT in managing yourself while running a business. That is where you need your executive coach. A personal, professional speaking partner that holds you to your goals and works with the person executing them.
Executive coaching in an entrepreneurial environment can reach all the way from daily health routines to management issues and sales coaching. All connecting your personal way of doing things and your personal choices to your business goals to create a sustainably high-performing way of being an entrepreneur. A performing style that draws on your strengths and smoothens the disadvantages of your weaknesses.
What are your challenges right now? You can often detect them by looking at where your energy levels drop. Don’t just push through. Work smart. Use reflection time to learn more about yourself and the obstacles in your way, address them to maximize the effect of your pushing. You coach is there to hold you to what is important to you and champion your success to create a habit of recognizing a win. That is how you in the long run keep a high energy level in your entrepreneurship.