It’s been 10 months since I quit my job and dove into the world of entrepreneurship. Since then, I’ve been building a business, I’ve had some incredible conversations, I’ve grown more than I thought possible, I’ve enjoyed more freedom than ever before and I’ve experienced the consistent stress that comes with complete ownership. This blog is about the two words that (for me) stand to undermine the very emotional endeavor of entrepreneurship: it’s unraveling.

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For context, most of what I do falls into the category of coaching and very simple terms, I help people bridge the gap between where they are now and where they want to be. In the areas of fitness, mindset and business, I help guide, support and encourage people through uncertain seasons as they move toward better versions of themselves. I can write an entire blog about coaching (and I did), but this blog is about what happens behind the scenes and between my ears. In order to do what I do (and make money), I’m always thinking about how to attract new clients and how to retain current clients. Choosing to pursue constant growth in business (and in life) can get exhausting.

Like most entrepreneurs, when things are going great I’m on top of the world but when things aren’t going as planned (e.g. a client cancels) my brain taps me on the shoulder and whispers those two very scary words: it’s unraveling. When this happens, the challenge is to realize that these emotions, while meant to protect me, are not always an accurate reflection of reality. Rather than sending me into a spiral of anxiousness and inaction, these words have become a cue to pause and respond with intention – to move forward even especially when things feel like they’re falling apart (realizing that they’re not).

“Some days you will feel like the ocean and some days you will feel like you are drowning in it.”

Lora Mathis

The volatile emotions of entrepreneurship are amplified with the messiness of imperfect action that comes with building a business. I’ve come to learn that the important part of navigating emotions and messiness is becoming aware that we have always have a choice in how we respond. I’m a firm believer that the road to “success” is the same one that leads to “failure,” except it’s just a little bit longer. I’ve been using the stress of business to practice attitude of endurance – leaning into the truth that little by little, little becomes a lot and consistent effort compounds. When life feels overwhelming, I just focus on taking the next step and I hope that you can too – keep moving forward and don’t hesitate to reach out if there’s any way that I can encourage you through that process.

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If you’ve made it to the end of the blog, thank you for sticking with me. I hope that my thoughts were valuable for you in some way, shape or form. In entrepreneurship and in life, we are all tempted to react to the world around us but as Deepak Chopra once said, we each get to choose to “be a prisoner of the past or a pioneer of the future.” Whatever it is that you’re pursuing, choose to be a pioneer and move forward with courage. It might feel like it’s unraveling, but might just be part of the process.

“Whatever course you decide upon, there is always someone to tell you that you are wrong. There are always difficulties arising which tempt you to believe that your critics are right. To map out a course of action and follow it to an end requires courage.”

Ralph Waldo Emerson

Keep going.

Joe Rinaldi

IG: @joearinaldi

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