A Kahuna Matata Moment

3.6K followers

2 months ago

A Cautionary Tale for Entrepreneurs

When I started my business fresh out of college, I was filled with big dreams and even bigger plans. I was going to dominate an entire industry and become an overnight success story. I would be the next Insoo Kim Berg.

What they don't tell you in those inspirational entrepreneur quotes is just how hard it is. How lonely, stressful, and downright gut-wrenching it can be. I learned that the hard way in my first year running my startup counseling business.

My New Business Begins

I was lucky enough to have the option of leasing an office from one of the professors. He was the chair of the Behavioral Science Department at a local university. It was a great option for new graduates to get started in a friendly environment. Every therapist was provided with their own office space. It was like a done-for-you business environment.

All we had to do was advertise to get clientele and pay a small nominal fee to cover the insurance part of the business. So, this was the best of both worlds. My caseload was steadily increasing each month. My regular clients kept coming back each week. So, my advertising and insurance fees ($160) paid for themselves.

It started innocently enough. I was riding high on motivation, putting in 16 hour days filled with high intensity work. I stopped making time for friends, family, exercise...anything that wasn't my business. I lived off pizza and energy drinks, forgot what the sun looked like, and pushed my body and mind to the brink.

Zooming in on My Target Audience

And you know what? For a while, it worked. My startup began gaining traction. I signed some big clients and deals early on. One of my clients was a proctor that administered all the exams for med school, pharmacy, and dental students. This was a big deal. Another client was the daughter of a high official of the San Manuel Band of Mission Indians. After working with my consumers, I was able to build a rapport with them that was life-changing.

In fact, I was invited to attend the San Manuel Pow Wows. It was an amazing ceremony and was a great way to understand the culture and practice inclusivity. By the way, the bird singers are amazing. I have a bit of Cherokee in my bloodline, so, I caught the vibes, for sure.

Of course, pow wows are free to the public and features the Southern California traditional bird singers. If you haven’t attended one. You are missing out.

On paper, everything pointed to success. But the human brain and body can only take so much. And one day, mine gave out.

The Signs of Burn Out

It started with headaches. The same kind I had experienced when my doctor weened me off of caffeine. Then came the brain fog - simple tasks like sending emails or filling out spreadsheets suddenly became impossible. I would stare at my computer screen frustrated, unable to remember deadlines or instructions.

Then came the anxiety and the bawling. Lying in bed at night with my heart racing, feeling paralyzed by irrational fears about my business failing. During the day, I struggled to hold conversations or make decisions without second-guessing myself.

It finally came to a head one Friday afternoon. I was in an important meeting with my colleagues when I suddenly felt dizzy and lightheaded. The next thing I knew, I almost passed out cold at the conference table. My friend gave me a cup of water.

I couldn't ignore the mental and physical signs anymore. I was burnt out. My intense workload combined with poor self-care had fried my brain and body.

On the way to the University hospital, I was terrified. Terrified at the health issues I may have caused myself, but also ashamed. I was supposed to be this hot-shot clinician on the rise. Instead, here I was being wheeled into the ER a complete mess.

Although I only spent one night in the ER, it was a major wake-up call. I took the next two months off to rest and recover. I checked in with doctors to address my anxiety and physical symptoms. I reconnected with loved ones. I worked less and slept more. So, yeah, mental exhaustion is real.

Teachable Moments To Be Learned

And you know what? My clinical position didn’t fail without me. It was not the end of the world. Turns out, I had a strong and capable support system. They kept things running while I was away. My work experience at a major behavioral institute in San Bernardino county was no “hakuna matata.” It taught me a big lesson.

No matter how dedicated you are, you can push yourself to total burn out. From this experience I have learned to take one day at a time, take breaks throughout at work, try to add healthier, nutritious foods to my lifestyle and make sure to get enough quality sleep. I wrote an article about this:

https://my.wealthyaffiliate.com/rcharinhp99/blog/learning-from-failure

The Bottom Line

Learning from past mistakes is a vital skill to have. Don’t try to be a superman or wonder woman. The human body is only capable of handling but so much. One of the best things to do is plan out your daily, weekly, or monthly schedule. This give you a visual of how much you can complete in each timeframe.

Coming back from burnout gave me an entirely new perspective. I realized success isn’t just grinding and pushing yourself to extremes. It’s setting boundaries and knowing your limits. It’s taking care of your mind AND your business.

Now, several years later, things look a lot different. Yes, I still work hard and strive for big goals with my profession. But I also know when to log off work. When to say no to extra projects. When I need a vacation (which is pretty often these days).

Hakuna Matata Once Again

Hakuna matata means "there is no trouble" in Swahili. How cool is that? It was a phrase used in the Lion King. Yes, there is no trouble as long as I stay connected to my friends and family, exercise, eat healthy meals, and I make plenty of time for fun hobbies outside work.

Most importantly, I check in with myself constantly and don’t ignore potential warning signs. Because I never want a repeat episode of what I now call my “entrepreneurial meltdown.”

The Moral of the Story

Take care of yourself first before pouring everything into your business. Your mental and physical health is the most important asset to protect. Don’t wait until you’re being hauled away to the ER to realize that! In the past, I’ve been the poster child for ER visits due to an unhealthy lifestyle.Those days are long gone. I’ve learned my lessons well.

Here are some additional tips:

Prioritize Exercise and Self-Care

You can maintain a healthy work-life balance to avoid burnout as a new entrepreneur. Make time for exercise several times per week. Even 20-30 minutes of activity can boost energy and focus.

Don't neglect basic self-care like healthy eating, good sleep habits, and taking breaks. These things are foundational.

Set Reasonable Expectations

Remember that launching a business takes time.
Set realistic goals
Don't expect overnight success.
Focus your efforts on high-impact activities.
Outsourcing, delegating tasks, and automating processes where possible can help ease pressure.

Take Real Time Off

Take at least one full day off from work each week to recharge.
Resist the urge to check emails and do work tasks.
Detaching fully allows you to renew mental resources.
Save as much money as possible to be able to take an unpaid sabbatical.
Plan regular vacations, even if just a long weekend every couple of months to decompress.

Maintain Your Support Network

Don't isolate yourself in the name of working harder.
Confide in close friends or mentors when feeling overwhelmed.
Getting an outside perspective helps provide more balance.
Spend time nourishing personal relationships and community connections.

Monitor Your Mindset

Watch for negative self-talk or perfectionist tendencies
Don’t set unrealistic standards.
Be your own best advocate.
Practice mindfulness, meditation, or journaling
Manage stress levels before they escalate into burnout.

An Ounce of Prevention Theory in the WAC

An Ounce of Prevention is worth a pound of cure and can also be applied to building and nurturing an online business. Staying one chapter ahead of burnout is a move in the right direction. The Wealthy Affiliate platform provides all the tools and resources for all of us.

Use the Wealthy Affiliate Wisely

There is a plethora of information here. However, the key to the kingdom is knowing how to use all of this resourceful information. Preparation + Opportunity = Success, right? This is a whole new world that these gentleman, Kyle and Carson, have carved out to make our journey much easier. Am I right?

The Heavy Lifting is Done-For-You

No one will be left behind. If you get stuck, just ask for help. It’s as simple as that. No one person has a monopoly over you or anything on this platform, regardless of how high their Rank is. The education, training, classes, seminars, and expert advice is here for the asking. This is Your community, Your platform, and Your chance to succeed. So, learn the ropes and ins and outs of how to use it.

WAC is Not a Social Club

WAC is a viable, friendly, pay-it-forward environment. However, it is not a social club. There is a difference. It should lift us up and not tear us down, right? There is fierce competition ahead, so don’t get sidetracked. A member that is friendly to you one day, may block you tomorrow, so be careful.

Remember Your "Why" To Thrive

Pay close attention to all of the training; not to anyone’s personal agenda. Don’t get sidetracked by people who are killing the process; they have already been in the trenches. Follow the leader, not the popularity club. At least in my humble opinion. This is not a social club.

The early days of business ownership are uniquely demanding. Paying attention to lifestyle factors and self-care ultimately allows entrepreneurs to thrive more sustainably over the long term.

What matters most is being focused and resilient enough to continuously adapt and improve. By taking deliberate steps to prevent excess stress, you set yourself up for health, wellbeing, and professional longevity.

I’ve only been here two years and I’ve learned a lot. However, for many of us, our learning style may be totally different than somebody else’s learning style. This is why we should only take advice from the experts. I agree with Aussiemuso. Make your online business the first priority and interact in the community after the fact.

Check out some of her contributions:

https://my.wealthyaffiliate.com/training/how-to-increase-traffic-to-your-website-through-reddit#comments-container

https://my.wealthyaffiliate.com/training/how-to-use-quora-to-drive-traffic-to-your-website

Websites are Your Pride and Joy

Our websites and online businesses should be our First priority, not competing for a high rank in the WA community. Some of us have endured some harsh experiences. This is par for the course. This too shall pass., though. Although I am salty, I still believe in Wealthy Affiliate. I trust the process, NOT the people. Bring it on!