Have you ever pushed the “wrong” button on your computer and caused everything to crash? Or lost a document you’ve worked really hard on because you forgot to save it?
Do you remember how that felt? That horrible sinking feeling in the pit of your stomach?
How about this? Has something happened to you — something beyond your control — that caused you to lose hours of work or planning? Like the power went out in your office and you lost most of a document you created? Or, like an economy going into recession?
What’s the difference? In the second example – when something happens to you or to me – we probably do not feel the same sense of doom as we do when we’re the cause of the calamity – like in the first example.
It’s interesting, isn’t it? Last week, I was in this exact situation. It looked as though my blog had completely crashed. I was getting a message saying it contained no data. That meant all of my posts, all of my friends comments and all of the site’s plugins were gone. History. My reaction was, “Wow. I’m glad I backed this stuff up but OMG how much time is it going to take me to put everything back together again???” But, I didn’t feel as though the world had come to an end.
I know I didn’t cause it to happen. So, what could I do? Shrug my shoulders and go forward — fix what I could fix. (In fact, a friend’s blog did crash recently and WordPress restored everything for her. Apparently there’s a glitch in the newest version. Yikes! If you have a WordPress blog or site, why not back it up?)
Here’s the difference as I see it – and the reason I’m writing this post. If I had done something stupid or just simply ignorant that caused my entire blog to go down, I would have felt absolutely horrible. (Yet it was OK when it wasn’t my fault.) But, doesn’t that go against the grain of what I write about? That we’ve got to be in action – in business or in life – in order to grow and learn?
The very nature of an entrepreneur’s character is a willingness to take substantial risks. Sure, they can be calculated risks, but those risks can be fraught with the unknown. Unforeseen things can happen.
So the question is,
“Are we willing to take risks, and possibly lose everything, in spite of our fear and in spite of the possible negative outcomes? Even if it’s something we do to cause it?”
Napoleon Hill wrote:
“Freedom or death on a decision.
The value of decisions depends upon the courage required to render them. The great decisions, which served as the foundation of civilization, were reached by assuming great risks, which often meant the possibility of death.”
Granted, losing the contents of a website or a blog, or losing tons of money or a relationship, pale in comparison to death… but we’ve got to be willing to take risks. To understand that we cannot take it personally and that mistakes and setbacks are just a part of life. Of being in action.
Things can turn on a dime and we’ve got to be flexible. We’ve got to stay cool in a crisis.
We can’t take things personally and we’ve got to be firm in our belief that we’ve done everything in our power to prepare for and prevent a crisis.
So… this is one of those thinking like an entrepreneur posts that I talk about. Will you contribute to the conversation? Where can you take action today based on what you’ve read in this post? Or, have you already experienced something like this? And what did you do? What did you learn?
Please leave a comment below. I always reply.
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{ 6 comments… read them below or add one }
Just as you mentioned in your article, the concept of “backup, backup, backup” cannot be stressed enough. Automation and redundant process are absolutely critical. This process could be a bit annoying at first, but once it’s done, you don’t ever have to have that moment of fear. I have two local copies of everything (one on my hard drive, the other backed up to a portable drive) and a copy in the cloud (I prefer Carbonite). I have a script set up to automatically download my websites Sunday nights at midnight and those are also then backed up twice locally and once in the cloud. You can avoid so many crises with solid planning!
Absolutely excellent advice Ken! You’re right. With solid planning we can avoid so many problems. Thanks for the great tips… I haven’t heard of Carbonite, I’ll check it out. You are the go to guy for all things high tech! Thank you!
~Theresa
At SOME point in my life I’ll launch my own blog. Definitely want to connect to you when I get that done, as well!
Ken – I will definitely read your blog! I can point you to some great blogs with advice on blogging. Let me know. I think that’s so cool. And here’s a thought… the best advice I had about blogging was: “just start blogging”. Something to think about… but it’s time consuming without a doubt.
Interesting — well I took your “challenge” and read this post….its not what I thought when I clicked the link….BUT….
So I have taken a lot of risks — some of them I knew the length and width of the risk before I took it — some I didn’t. Some risks I made huge gains — and some I have had huge losses…..the thing that will never be replaced…is the learning from taking them….its like a muscle…you have to exercise it…
When I have felt stuck — my wise friend and Coach Will once told me…to just DO something…organize the office, do a small task…DO something….and when I feel stuck in a big decision….I back up and assess….and listen to what is not being said….then talk it out with someone I trust because that is the way I work and then move forward….
I love your blog — thanks for creating it!!!
Ken Starks recently posted..Do it yourself – FREE!
Hi Ken! Well this is an awesome and wonderful comment! I do believe I’ll follow your comment up with a new post… inspired 100% by you! Does this pique your curiosity? Stay tuned! You’ve given some awesome advice on how to get unstuck. Definitely worth elaborating on!
Also thanks for sharing your thoughts on risk vs. reward. Isn’t it funny that sometimes the big losses are the things we really learn from? It’s like, “Ouch, that really hurt!” yet… sometimes we can turn that really big lesson into something that actually creates value for us the next time we take a risk. Capitalizing on our mistakes! How many millionaires do you know who have made a fortune, lost it all, only to create a bigger fortune the next time?
Thanks for inspiring me this morning. I love your comments. You totally add value to the conversation! Thank you!
~Theresa