Why Resilience Is So Important to Success for Business Owners…

Every business owner will face challenges from time to time. Really, it’s even fair to say that every business owner does face challenges quite often.

After all, 2020 alone, has been a year of challenges, many or most through no fault of our own. Among that list of obstacles we’ve encountered is a pandemic and resultant shutdown, wacky weather across the country, and most recently, an election season that has churned up some significant controversy.

Thus, while we can certainly count on the fact that challenges, problems, and obstacles will rear their head in ways that can possibly harm or even have the potential to kill our business, we can still experience and achieve success.

How? Why? What makes me so sure that I can say that with such conviction?

I can almost promise that overcoming and moving past or through such challenges we face as business owners is not only possible, but probable for some, is because I know the secret…

Resilience is a character trait that nearly secures success for business owners, no matter what comes our way.

Why does resilience matter? How does resilience help to secure our success in our business, even if it seems like the odds are stacked against us?

First, let’s define resilience.

Psychology Today defines resilience this way:

“Resilience is that ineffable quality that allows some people to be knocked down by life and come back stronger than ever. Rather than letting failure overcome them and drain their resolve, they find a way to rise from the ashes.”

From the definition alone, it may be pretty clear how and why resilience could be a strong predictor regarding success achievement for business owners in times of challenge. Yet, it’s important to keep in mind that resilience isn’t about some pollyanna, happy-go-lucky, non-grounded belief, that everything will just “turn out okay.”

Instead, resilience is a very intentionally-developed character trait built on self-efficacy and optimism, giving us the strength and fortitude to push past those things that threaten to grind us down or harm our business.

As mentioned at the beginning of this article, we know that we—and our business—will always face challenges of some form or fashion. Yet, we do not have to let roadblocks become permanent or game-ending.

If we have taken the time to grow our resilience, such roadblocks can even become opportunities for massive growth. In fact, they can become springboards for creativity and innovation—driving us to find new ways, manners, or pathways to amend beliefs, processes, or procedures in exciting ways.

Here are 3 quick tips for improving resilience now so that you can begin to now just react but attack when challenges strike:

1. Realize that resilience can be developed.

We aren’t “resilient” or “non-resilient” definitively. Rather, resilience is something that can be improved and grown. Once we know and accept this, we’ve taken the first step to becoming more resilient.

2. Understand the importance of resilience.

For most of us, it’s probably no surprise that resilience is important. However, understanding that it can not only help us “get up” when we fall down, but can help us get up and spring forward, is where the true power of resilience lies.

3. Take active steps to build resilience.

The time to grow resilience is before you need it. Therefore, now is the time to take steps to improve resilience.

Here are some specific steps:

• Spend time recalling past success overcoming challenges. Then, draw on these memories and feelings of past success when you have to beat obstacles again.

• Learn new skills and gain new knowledge. Becoming “smarter” in your area of work gives you additional confidence and allows you to see additional opportunities or think outside the box when the situation requires.

• Practice mindfulness. Learning how to stay mindful in the current moment—without looking backward or forward—keeps our brainpower focused on the NOW, increasing productivity and resourcefulness. Both of those two positive characteristics are key to overcoming problems or finding ways through or around them.