So picture the scene..it’s 8am on a clear January morning high on the snow clad ridge of Hellvelyn in the Lake District. I’m on a “walking trip” with a group of old friends, but kitted out with those spiky things under my boots (crampons I’m reliably told) and an ice axe. And I’m frightened of heights and about to cross an impossibly narrow ridge 1000 feet up with a plunging drop either side.
I felt the fear creep up on me, a physical sensation with a prickling of the skin and a rising nausea. But luckily my (so called) friends offered words of encouragement, some of which helped, others which were less helpful such as “Don’t look down” or “If you use the ice axe incorrectly it will rip your arm off”!
In the end a combination of encouragement and a realisation that I couldn’t go back and just had to take tiny steps to move forward got me across the ridge. And that’s
the same for entrepreneurs; just focusing on the next steps when everything seems overwhelming can bring a sense of traction, of moving forward and making progress. I’m not saying discount the bigger picture; keep your goals and stay true to your vision, but when you are feeling like it’s all too much, take those smaller steps towards your goal – mine was the summit of a mountain, yours will be something else that might seem just as daunting, but you can get there. Find others to support you along the way and keep on going!