We all have them. Days when everything goes wrong, you aren’t as far ahead as you hoped, and your clients are driving you crazy. Whatever the source of your bad day, these quotes will help you get back to work with a smile.
1. You’ve made mistakes.
Mistakes can be frustrating. But they are also the hallmark of innovation and essential to growth. So how to move past them? “Sometimes when you innovate, you make mistakes. It is best to admit them quickly and get on with improving your other innovations.” – Steve Jobs.
2. You’re way ahead of the pack.
Entrepreneurs tend to struggle because their ideas are ahead of their time. If this is the root of your bad day, you aren’t alone. As Oscar Wilde so aptly put it, “The public is wonderfully tolerant. It forgives everything except genius.”
3. You’re feeling unmotivated.
If you’re feeling lazy but there’s too much work to ignore, remember this famous saying by Will Rogers: “Even if you’re on the right track, you’ll get run over if you just sit there.”
4. You’re not making enough money.
Cash flow can be a source of stress, but is money the sole reason you went into business? It shouldn’t be. According to Henry Ford , “A business that makes nothing but money is a poor business.”
5. You’re overwhelmed and ready to quit.
Building a successful business takes time. Don’t lose your passion in the process; enjoy the journey. As Sir Richard Branson reminds us, “There is no greater thing you can do with your life and your work than follow your passions — in a way that serves the world and you.”
6. You’re lacking support.
If you’re feeling injured by a poor reception to your ideas, don’t give up. David Brinkley was there, too, when he quipped, “A successful man is one who can lay a firm foundation with the bricks others have thrown at him.”
7. You’re afraid to fail.
The truth is, most entrepreneurs don’t succeed with their first business idea. Eventually they do because they keep on trying. Oprah Winfrey suggests meeting the fear head on. “Be the one thing you think you cannot do. Fail at it. Try again. Do better the second time. The only people who never tumble are those who never mount the high wire.”
And if those quotes don’t inspire you, consider these words from mega-billionaire Warren Buffet: “Only when the tide goes out do you discover who’s been swimming naked.”
While this observation may not solve today’s problems, it does give you something to think — and smile — about.
Lawton Ursrey, Product Marketing Manager of Sage One, a simple, online accounting application for small businesses and CEO and Founder of Indie Peace, an environmentally responsible apparel company.
