The Darkness 

I was checking my business phone today, which I have realised I am very bad at. It should be an everyday thing but for some reasons I do not. I saw one of the young men I have walked with in the journey of writing had sent a text about a week ago. He had said he saw suicide as the only way out. Last month I had received the same distress call from another mentee.

After reading the message I frantically started reaching out texting, calling and being very stressed on how little I know about him; like who to reach out to to ask about him. Luckily he texted back two hours later and my heart eased. I hope he takes my help, he holds on to hope and he gets a break. He is already so brave, a winner for getting back on his feet even though he does not know and see it yet.

I have been wanting to write on bouncing back and I was taking my time with it, not really sure what I wanted to say.

The Power of Focus by Jack, Mark and Les and Beaten Not Crushed by Pamela Babirukamu are some of the books that I have finished this month on this topic that show why we hold on. What role bouncing back plays in the journey of great human beings.  In the midst of challenges or the heavy feelings that come, it makes no sense to hold on. There is just darkness and your mind gives you so many ideas of all the things that could go wrong propelled by fear. But if you keep holding on, it does get better. My whole book, Hope Made A Way, is centered on things do finally get better, we just have to never lose hope.

The Ghetto That Is Entrepreneurship 

Since I decided to focus on my entrepreneurship journey, almost two years ago, it hasn’t been as rosy. There are times, especially when the money is tight, I wonder what in the world I was thinking. I frantically apply for jobs that I see I am qualified for and if their responses are immediate, like the one I applied yesterday and got a regret today morning, it pushes me off balance completely.

I have also shared with a few people in my contacts my proposals on the different services and products that I have developed. I have received so many regrets with some being immediate and others taking long then it does not materialize. As a human being with emotions, this does get to you, It piles up.  And when the wins are short lived and small, you might not feel like you are making an impact, on the right path or adulting as you should.

This is called being human and every human has had this period where nothing seems to make sense and it’s like the more they try the worse it becomes but imagine that is the only way. You have to keep at it.

Jack Canfield mentions in the book above how they created a program that would show who would be successful as sales person and who would not. They studied those who were doing well with their sales and realized the only differentiating factor was the time taken to bounce back. This was a good challenge for me too. To see how long I take to bounce back after a deal does not materialize. Jack mentions that sales men who took the rest of the day off and were gloomy and lethargic for the best part of that week would be at the bottom of making sales. However, those who would take the shortest time possible, like two hours or less and get on the wagon of finding the next deal would do better.

Lay Many Beds, Different Bets

When I read this chapter, I was in one of those times where I was taking a break from being productive because of a deal gone sour. I did not want to hear of my success being tied to my ability to shake off my feelings of loss and get on to the next idea as soon as possible. No matter how true this is, I wanted to wallow in my sadness and keep wishing I was born a billionaire. The next time I received a regret, I was busy with other things to concentrate on just this one failure that I quickly went into, ‘what is next?’ mode.

The trick then has to be, let the regrets and losses find you on the move. They sting less.

This is one of the lessons I am taking out of the recent experiences in my life. If you are applying for a job, pitching for a sale, waiting for a deal, maybe have few things moving on the table for you. I guess this is why those who are good at employment search are applying for many roles as the same time. You distribute the risk of feelings of despondency across.

I will do my best to have different things that are exciting to me and those I choose to do running at the same time. This can be a promise we make to each other, just you and me. Probably a test. Always be on the move until something sticks. It’s true, a rolling stone, gathers no moss.

Anticipating that you could fail, you could lose, you could win and you could succeed is the only constant and you keep moving. Reduce the time you feel sorry for yourself, you think thoughts of doom and gloom and filled with anxiety and fear. Find what works for you, what helps turn your frown into a smile. For me it’s writing the things I have in my head. When I put them on paper, they become clear and they are not as big as they sounded and felt in my head and heart. Try writing and in the process, the answers will come as you have the answers to the questions you ask and the solutions to your challenges.

You are a magnificent warrior who has won many fights for your life and will win many more in the years to come. Hang on a little bit longer and keep doing other things that keep your fire burning. I am on my third short course this year on entrepreneurship and as I wait for my break, I am learning and having more value to add to the world.