Ever since the pandemic took over the world, we’ve learnt that the one of the most important skills any business needs to have is adaptability. The keyword for 2020 seems to be pivot – even Air Asia is starting to move away from its airline business towards food and lifestyle. As a business, we have had to make changes to the way we work, the types of jobs we are comfortable doing and think strategically beyond the norm.
Hustling towards greater success is every entrepreneur’s dream, but it’s never easy, especially this year. When I do a Google search on the meaning of Hustle, a few phrases pops up – push roughly, jostle, a state of great activity. Great activity takes great energy, and with that, lots of hard work. It means, doing the things others won’t do, to go above and beyond the expected, to work smarter, and to do it with joy. I’d like to share some of these principles I’ve implemented that have helped me move forward despite tough times.
Hustle forward
- Let go of the things that are not working – Sometimes, a great idea remains a great idea. You might have such a great service offering but with no market demand or it could be the wrong timing to implement your idea. After the Malaysian government implemented the Movement Control Order, we came up with many ideas, but some of them fell flat with zero results. What are you clinging onto that you should be letting go?
- Learn adaptability – One of the services we offer is event photography and videography, but with physical events all moving online during this season, we have had to change the way we think and work. One day, I received a request to do live streaming for a public listed company’s AGM. I was completely disinterested in that type of work, but with the encouragement of my husband, Alex who runs a technology company, I changed my perspective and learnt to be adaptable. Now, we have a full team running such services! If our mindset is fixed, we will never experience new opportunities.
- Believe you can succeed – Before we even begin, our mind sabotages our plans by bringing up self-defeating thoughts…”Hey, you’re not really that good. What makes you think you can survive, let alone thrive during this season?” When we focus on the problems, that’s all you are going to see and feel. But if you start thinking that you have what it takes to get through this, you start looking for creative solutions. You do have the potential to succeed. You are smart enough to figure this out. The question is, do we listen to our inner voice, or do we rise up to silence it?
- Find support – It’s always easier to keep going when you have a support group, someone patting your back to keep going. It’s important to find people who truly believe in you, not blindly supporting you, but someone who gives honest feedback and truly wants the best for you.
- Recharge – When you start to feel really drained, it’s ok to make time for rest. Getting enough sleep, enjoying a hobby or just exercising the stress away is crucial for self-care. What are ways you can take care of yourself emotionally, physically, mentally and spiritually?
- Celebrate little wins – Whatever small successes come your way, jump up and celebrate! I try to make this a practice with my team as often as I can – this includes sharing positive testimonials from clients or celebrating every client that books a session. This gives us fuel to keep going, as running a business is a marathon, not a sprint! To start making it a habit, start asking yourself weekly, “What achievement can you celebrate this week?”
I’m cheering you on. You’ve got this.
