Latest / Callum Walker | Figuring It Out / #100 - How To Deal With The Ups & Downs Of Running A Business

Transcript

#100 - How To Deal With The Ups & Downs Of Running A Business · Callum Walker | Figuring It Out

• 0:03
  Callum Walker: If fear is the only thing stopping us from achieving our dreams and we only fear what we don't understand, then the antidote to fear is knowledge. All we have to do is find out who has the knowledge that we need to conquer our fears and achieve our entrepreneurial dreams. My name is Callum Walker, and welcome to the podcast that will help you figure it out and conquer this lonely entrepreneurial journey. Hello, everyone, and welcome to a very special episode of the podcast. The specialist of special episodes.
• 0:36
  Why is it the specialist of episodes? Well, this is in fact my hundredth podcast episode. Not that I've recorded because I've recorded probably over 300 podcast episodes. But the one that I have published, this is the one hundredth that I've published to my public podcast Figuring It Out. And I'm really proud of that.
• 1:04
  I'm really proud of that. And you know why I'm really proud of that? I think the one thing I've always wanted to really avoid is being one of those people that Gordon Ramsay referred to as a dreamer. Someone who goes, yes, you know, I'd really love to do that sort of thing, but my actions aren't going to back up my desires and my statements. And I've always known that like the thing I really love doing is my podcast.
• 1:35
  Don't know why I've just felt so connected with it the most and I've always gone like I'd really love to have a successful podcast one day. And I stuck at it. Have I been as consistent as I would like to have been? Not necessarily over the years, but I've I've figured out how to be consistent with it. If I look at the last two weeks specifically, I've published more episodes in the past two weeks than I have in the past, three to four months, and I'm really proud of that.
• 2:05
  So I've evolved with it, but I think more than anything, I'm just really proud I've got to the 100 mark. And there's multiple reasons why. First of all, when I first kinda came across the concept of putting a podcast together, I remember I was reading Russell Brunson's book Expert Secrets, and he was saying that, a guy called Seth Godin, who's a huge guy in the marketing world, that he will be very, generous with his time and appear on people's podcasts as guests, but he'll only appear on people's podcasts who have done at least a 100 episodes because it shows that they're committed, and it shows that they're serious about it. And I also remember I went to an event with, at Jay Alderton's event. If you don't know Jay Alderton, he's actually agreed to be on my podcast which is amazing and I'm gonna tell you why in a second.
• 3:01
  Because I went to one of his events, about two years ago. It really served as a great inspiration for me as the kind of events that I'd really love to run myself because it was basically an event where he was really kind of talking about how we can use health and fitness as a way to improve the quality of our life, not just our body and the way that we look. And it was great because he was talking about, you know, health and fitness. He was also he had, some guys bring some ice baths in, a breath work instructor, a yoga teacher. It was fantastic and it really kind of served as some inspiration for me.
• 3:35
  But it was really interesting because there was someone in the audience who said, hey, Jay, will you come on my podcast? And he goes, I'll come on your podcast when you have recorded a 100 episodes because I know that you're committed to it then. And and I actually reached out to him two days ago. I don't know him. I've attended his event and I did get to ask him a couple of questions and talk to him, is amazing.
• 4:01
  But I I messaged him. I said, look, mate, this could be completely out of the blue here, but you probably won't remember this. But when I attended your your event two years ago, someone in the audience asked, will you be on your podcast? And you replied with yes when you've done a 100 episodes. And I just wanna let you know, I I'm not that person, but I did listen to it.
• 4:23
  And I've just recorded my one hundredth episode. Will you be a guest on my podcast? And he immediately said, yeah, which is fantastic. Because I think the thing that I really kind of like connect with him is just the way in which we can use health and fitness as a way to really kind of put our mind in the best possible state. And it's kind of like what I wanna almost kind of talk to you about today because, you know, having recorded a 100 episodes, this isn't just about my podcast.
• 4:51
  My podcast has always kind of served as like, you know, my outlet to really document the journey of running a business. Because I think the first thing is running a business is so hard. It is so hard. Not just necessarily in the sense of it's hard to to make money. It's an emotional roller coaster that no one ever prepares you for.
• 5:17
  I think it's really sad that across social media, it is really kinda like almost kinda pushed out at how simple and fast it is to grow a business. Like, you can make money really quickly, but if you're in this for the long run, it's an emotional battle because you're constantly battling doubt, you're constantly battling fear, you're also battling arrogance and complacency because there's gonna be times where you're absolutely flying high and you're like I've got this cracked, like this is easy, I've got it nailed, I'm the king of the world. And then two weeks later life slaps you in the face and it's like hey don't get above your station here remember you still got to get a job to do, don't take your foot off the gas. There's also times when it's really challenging and it feels like nothing's working, you don't know how it's going to work, you're questioning and you're doubting like, can I really make this happen? Only for two weeks later for it to completely turn around.
• 6:22
  And it reminds me of listening to Tom Hanks where he said, feel like you're on top, this too shall pass. Feel like you're at the bottom, this too shall pass. And I think that's the biggest lesson that I've really learned running a business that this too shall pass. And whether it's negative, if you're experiencing more of a negative journey right now and things aren't quite working the way that you want them to, you're crippled by that doubt, you're waking up anxious, worried, scared, it will pass. Then again, if you're if you're feeling on top of the world, if you're feeling like, you know, I've cracked this, I'm nailing it, that will also pass.
• 7:05
  And I think what's become so clear to me is that the real secret to having success with the entrepreneurial journey is is navigating the roller coaster. Not getting too high with the highs, not getting too low with the lows. And I'm gonna talk to you specifically about how to deal with the lows and the challenges. Because the lows and the challenges will come. If anyone tells you that the lows and the challenges aren't a thing or they they casually just decide to forget to tell you about the lows and the challenges that come with a business, they're just trying to sell you something.
• 7:41
  So be very wary of that because you're gonna have times where it's not working. You're going to have times where it's not working. And if you you haven't hit that period, you're not trying hard enough. Trust me. And I think that, like, the first thing that has really helped me most with dealing with the challenges and when you're low, when you feel like you can't see how it's going to happen, whether it's ever going to work out has been the nature of impermanence and knowing that this too shall pass.
• 8:14
  But then also coming to a state of gratitude of I am completely okay, like I am okay. And I remember, when I was up my like, I don't want to say my lowest because I've never been so so low that I've been so depressed. But when I would say when I say, yeah, when I was experiencing the most challenging time in my business, One of the things that helped me the most was yoga, and it's gonna sound really nuts. But I remember there was this one day and I woke up so anxious. I was so anxious.
• 8:52
  I can literally feel the anxiety now. My mind was going at a 100 miles an hour. I was I was losing money because I'd invested in something that was gonna take longer than I'd originally thought. I was losing money, feeling like a failure, feeling like a loser. And I was like, right, I'm just gonna go and do some yoga.
• 9:10
  I remember I was probably about twenty minutes through and my mind was going so fast. And then I got into my pigeon pose and a really weird thing happened, like everything slowed and I just had a thought come to me, which was everything in this moment is perfectly fine. Right now, is okay. It just brought me to a place of peace and calm, and it made me realize that, yes, Callum, you may be experiencing challenges and difficulties in your business, but you are not your business. You are Callum, and look at it in your life.
• 9:47
  You have an amazing partner, beautiful friends, a wonderful family. You've got a roof over your head. You're healthy. Look at the positive things that you do have. And I think that when you you focus on the things that you do have that how blessed and grateful you really, you know, how blessed you are and how grateful you can be, it just it just takes the sting and the edge and the fear and the worry just out of it a little bit.
• 10:17
  And what you find is that on the other side of that, a solution presents itself. And that has been true to me throughout the whole ten years of running my business. So, you know, if you're going through a period right now and things aren't quite working, you're feeling like a failure, you're questioning whether you're ever gonna be able to make this successful and sustainable, focus on what you have got to be grateful for, focus on the beautiful people in your life. And also the beauty is like our biggest problem every single morning when it comes to an entrepreneur is all we're doing is just asking the question, how can I grow my business today? How blessed is that?
• 10:54
  And effectively, our future is completely in our hands. And that's why I think entrepreneurship is the most beautiful vehicle because it literally gives you the opportunity to have your future in your hands. And it might not be what you want it to be right now, but you can make it into it. And there's a price to pay. And if there wasn't a price to pay, then everyone would do it and it wouldn't be as beautiful and successful as it can be.
• 11:23
  And if I look at myself, am I exactly where I want to be? Maybe not in comparison to the goals that I want to achieve, but I'm really proud of what I've achieved. And when you focus on what you have achieved and what you have done and what you have accomplished, something strange starts to happen where you start to realize that you're not as big a loser as you think that you are. That you you are successful, that you can make things happen, that you are a doer. And then that puts you in the place where you're like, right, I might be in a bit of a pickle right now, but what am I gonna do to get out of it?
• 12:05
  And it's interesting. I am I was I was actually in the sauna yesterday, and I think this is a really important part when it comes to entrepreneurship. I was in the sauna yesterday, and there was a couple of Arsenal fans who walked in. And right now at the time of recording this, Arsenal are top of the league and they're I think they're like five points ahead. And they just they just drew a game.
• 12:31
  And effectively these fans came in and they were like, oh, it's the end of the world. Like, you know, we've lost the league and all of these sorts of things. And I remember just sitting there and I was just like, how are you coming to that conclusion? Like, you drew one game, you're still five points ahead at the top of the league, and you've still got the opportunity where you're ahead of the opposition. And what made me realize what what what almost kinda like came to me was that if you look at like I'm going to use football as an analogy here and as an analogy for what I also think that comes with entrepreneurship.
• 13:11
  That if you look at the teams that have won the league over the years, your Man Uniteds, your Chelseas, your Arsenal, your Liverpools, they also lost games during that season. And losing games is just a natural part of football. It's the same with cricket. I'm a huge cricket fan. I look at Joe Root who's the the best cricketer in the world in my opinion.
• 13:36
  He sometimes gets bowled out for a duck. He sometimes doesn't make a big score. It's part of it. And if I look at entrepreneurship, I think that the problem is that we have this expectation that it's going to be all win win win win win win win win win win. Matthew McConaughey would refer to this as it's just gonna be green lights.
• 13:53
  Like, no. You come to traffic lights and sometimes it's red. Sometimes it's amber, and sometimes it's green. It's part of the process. So if you have people who aren't signing up to your program right now, it's part of the process.
• 14:07
  If you have people who are signing up two days later then going, ah, thanks so much but I'm gonna have to reconsider. It's part of the process. If you're creating content and no one's jumping on it, it's just part of the process. And you know, that's not submitting to it and going like, oh, you know, I'm a loser. It's about submitting to like, there's nothing wrong with me.
• 14:29
  I'm just going through the process. And every football team that has won the league has also lost a couple of games throughout the year. And that's just part of the process. So I think that the more that you can just understand that it's just part of the process and you need to see it as a call to action to go, well, what am I going to do about this? I've got people who are turning me down.
• 14:52
  Okay, well, what am I gonna do about it? I haven't got enough people biting on my content. Okay. What am I gonna do about it? I don't know where my next client's gonna come from.
• 15:01
  What am I going to do about it? And the beauty is that entrepreneurship gives you that ability where everything is completely in your control in the sense of the actions that you're going to take. And once you've taken the actions that you're going to take, then once you've controlled everything you can control, there's nothing else that you can do. So, you know, I always kinda like, you know, say that control what you can control and everything else is in the hands of the gods. As long as you do you your part, they'll do their part and they'll look after you.
• 15:31
  So so yeah. So in terms of almost kinda like, you know, my hundredth episode, I think it's really kinda fitting that I just wanna continue really kind of talking about how to deal with the highs and lows of entrepreneurship because especially the lows that no one ever prepares you for. There's a lot of mentors out there who will talk to you about, you know, here's what you can do to grow your business. Here's what you can do to, you know, make more money, get more clients in. But how many people are there to actually help you to say, right, here's how you can navigate the inevitable challenges and difficulties that will come and they will come with running a business.
• 16:08
  The fear, the anxiety, the worry, the fact that nobody gets it, the fact that it is the loneliest thing in the world. What can you do about it? How many people are there that are actually there to say, look, here's how you can deal with that uncertainty. Here's how you can deal with that roller coaster and specifically the roller coaster of your emotions. And I think that the one thing that helps me is with your own identity.
• 16:34
  Remember, you are not your business. Yes, you may be a businessman or a businesswoman. You may be a coach, but you're also a person. And when things have got so heavy, I I retreat back into myself and I go, right, just be Callum. Forget about being Callum the coach, Callum the entrepreneur, just be Callum and spend time with the people who just know you as Callum.
• 16:58
  And that just takes the sting out of things. And I think the other thing is when things are getting really, really tough, I've always gone to nature and nature has always given me the answer. And the answer has been your problems are insignificant in comparison to the greatest scheme of the whole world. Go and jump in a freezing cold lake and see what it's actually like to live. Go for a walk in nature and be present in the world because all of our problems from a business point of view are mind made.
• 17:31
  So what we need to do is get out of our mind and get into the world. And when we get into the world, the world starts to actually kind of speak to us and give us the answers that we're really looking for. So, know, if you're struggling right now, if things aren't working the way that you want them to, it it will it will get better. It will. But it'll only get better if you're actively seeking the answer to the question as to, well, why is it not working right now?
• 18:00
  What can I do about it? So so yeah. And and I think almost kinda just just finish off today. I I think another recommendation that I would give you is have a vehicle like a podcast or whether it's a blog or whether it's your social media and use it as a way, not necessarily just to try and connect with an audience or to sign people up or whatever, but use it as your form of expression to really almost kind of help you document your journey and note down the challenges and the difficulties that you're experiencing, but also the lessons. And I think that this is what my podcast has really given me.
• 18:42
  It's been an opportunity for me to be able to really kind of assess where I'm at, share the lessons that excite me, come to it and talk about things when I'm struggling. So when I have been struggling, I've come to my podcast and I've been like, look, I'm struggling right now, but I know that I'll get out of it. And this is what I'm struggling with. And I've listened to this podcast back like, I listened back to it so many times, and it's been quite amazing to look back over the past three years of of recording this as to where I was, the challenges and the difficulties I've experienced, the obstacles I've managed to get over. And when you look back and you see the obstacles that you've managed to get over, you realize how capable you are in the sense of that you can overcome the obstacles that you will face in the future because you've overcome the obstacles that you faced in the past.
• 19:36
  So so yeah. So if you are listening to this, thank you so much. Well, obviously, you are listening to this, but thank you so much for, yeah, following my podcast. Again, I have no idea who you are. If you could reach out to me and let me know who you are, that'd be great.
• 19:52
  Because like I said, I've recorded a 100 plus episodes, and I have no idea if you're listening. So there we go. But I'll leave you with one thing. Never forget, if every one of your clients gave you one new client, you've doubled your business.