The storm clouds are brewing.  In fact, they have been brewing for a while and seem to be getting bigger and darker every day.  We haven’t seen a time like this… ever. 

As a CEO, company president or business owner, you may be questioning yourself a lot these days.  You may even be contemplating finding a “real” job and going to work for somebody else and let them be the boss instead.

All sorts of questions may be going through your head, such as:  ‘Why am I in business?  Why do I need this?  My neighbor is home at 6 o’clock every day.  Gets a paid vacation.  Even gets his medical insurance paid for.  He doesn’t have to stay up nights and worry about payroll.  I am totally fed up with this!…’ 

Sound familiar at all?

And who can blame you for your reaction? 

Any business person who doesn’t feel this way is probably in denial.  But the storm clouds are brewing right above your head, aren’t they?  And there is no quick fix to the economy.  And no definite time table you could set your clock to as to when business will turn around.  The only real option is to ride out the storm.

To do that, what you are going to have to live through is going to test and challenge your business sense.  But you have to remember who you are and why you are in business.  Maybe it’s because you just don’t like having someone tell you what to do.  Maybe you can do it better than anyone else.  Maybe this is your life’s dream and you don’t want it shattered by the economy.  Whatever the reason, this is not the time to lose your confidence or your belief in yourself and your business abilities.  You will have to work harder.  Smarter.  More than you ever thought possible.  But know you are capable of making it through this economic storm. 

When we do finally come out of this economic crisis your business will be stronger and better positioned in the marketplace.  If you truly want to be your own boss, want to live the good life (however you define that) and control your own destiny, then step up, make it happen, be in action and do everything necessary that is legal and ethical to get yourself and your business through this. But whatever you do, don’t give up on yourself.

Just remember although your neighbor may be home at six o’clock every day, at any given time, their boss can tell them they are laid off and don’t have a job.  You may not feel secure right now with your business and all the economic uncertainty.  But even with all the business problems, you are much more secure than someone who has a job. 

The only person that can fire you is:  you.  Until you challenge yourself you won’t know what answers you have that will keep you on track with business success. Dig deep for answers and use all your business know-how and business resources to keep your business up and running.  Breaking even.  Paying the bills.  And keeping your business head above water in the economic storm deluge is actually okay in this circumstance – if that’s what it takes to keep you in business.

Thinking about going to work for someone else and actually going to work for someone else are two completely different things.  If you really want your business to work for you, then you cannot allow such thoughts of working for someone else to enter your mind.  It’s distracting you from your goal.  It’s a negative thought.  Right now you need to think positive, stay present in the moment, respond but not react to what is going on around you and make it work.  No matter what.

Besides, you don’t really want to go to work for somebody else, do you?