“You cannot control what happens to you, but you can control your attitude toward what happens to you, and in that, you will be mastering change rather than allowing it to master you.” – Brian Tracy
“If it bleeds, it leads” is the old newspaper adage. And we had a terrifying example of that last week with the attempted assignation of a former president and current nominee. We came within one inch of changing the whole presidential race and possibly the history of our nation. No matter who you’re supporting or counting on to become the next president, you probably had a moment of total clarity: things can change in an instant.
You can’t control what’s happening outside your business. New leadership in the White House will mean policy changes, including trade programs, tariffs, support of or pressure on specific industries, fiscal policy, interest rates, taxation, and regulation. There’s no doubt that some or all of that may have an impact on your business over the next couple of years. Here’s my advice about that.
The ancient Stoics are having a moment, and for good reason. Their philosophy is helpful for anyone who aspires to leadership. They believed that we can divide our experiences into two categories: those we can control, and those we can’t. The things we can’t control should be set aside, as it makes no sense to devote energy to them.
The things we can control are how we think about things and what we do. Managing how we think about things includes focusing on the positive aspects of our lives and the company. Ruminating over bad news and what might happen is bad for you and bad for business.
Instead, the Stoics (and I) suggest that you remain laser-focused on what is in your control: how you run your company. The things that matter in your business are very much in your power.
Training and retaining your best employees. Taking care of your customers and providing the best customer experience you can. Making it easy to do business with your company and find information about your services online. Keeping your equipment and technology in great repair and up to date. Make sure your operations are as efficient and cost-effective as possible.
Make sure your company is in its best financial position to weather changes in the economy, changes in demand, and changes in the competitive market. Helping your staff stay focused on what matters to the business and your customers.
That’s a long list of essential issues you can and should be working on every day. It doesn’t leave much time for agonizing over the 6:00 news.
In the end, what drives value in a business is well within your control, and a well-run and profitable business will always find interested buyers and investors, no matter how bad the evening news sounds.
