From Student to Entrepreneur : 8 Things to Do When You’re All Freaked Out!

Student, Intern, Associate, Manager, Director : Who hasn’t freaked out at least once in their lives? Whether it be the frantic rush to not miss the deadline, or stay awake all night to perfect the presentation, the corporate world is cruel that way. However, a calm mind works the best – a known fact it is and it is vital for an entrepreneur to be calm and cool throughout. Here are 10 things to do if and when your brain feels too muddled -

1. It is essential to realise that starting up is a scary business most of the times – requires huge courage and a host of other skills. To all the freaked out entrepreneurs : please remember that you’re not alone. There are a lot of people who’ve failed and will fail at starting up their businesses. Worrying endlessly about the outcome is fruitless. Try to concentrate on how best you can run your business : what else can you add, how you can build better products and services, improve your USP (Unique Selling Proposition).

2. Research. Agreed that it is very difficult to look up stuff when your brain is all haywire. However, it will help you to clear your doubts. The world is so connected nowadays. Try to see which all companies face the same problems as you do, what they did to overcome it. Read up articles (like this ) to motivate yourself. The Internet has become a good friend of many – utilise all the resources it provides.

3. If you’re on the verge of starting up, it is natural to be worried about it. There are a lot of things to be taken care of – promotion, sales, building a brand value. Define your market, analyse the risks to take, design a proper and viable business plan. Experience teaches valuable lessons – reach out to mentors.

4. Often, an entrepreneur is asked to give impromptu presentations, attend meetings and chat with clients. Pitching and speaking in front of an audience can frazzle a lot of people, which can be made easier. Have good core knowledge of your service/product and be thorough with your vision and marketing plans. Be confident in your interactions with people, even though you may feel nervous. A cool and calm demeanour creates a good impression, a favourable factor in the business world.

5. Don’t be too hard on yourself. Please remember that it is human to err. You have worked hard, put in a lot of efforts and persistence and it is because of your tenacity and passion that you’ve overcome obstacles. However, it is also important to rectify the mistakes so that they don’t have a severe impact on your plans. Try to figure out what steps you can take for correction and talk to your investors/mentors. Conduct group discussions with your employees and team to strategize.

6. Take care of yourself. Often, entrepreneurs push aside healthy lifestyle essentials like a balanced diet, exercise, enough sleep. What good will it be if one is too tired to think or has a weak immune system? A healthy mind resides in a healthy body – so take out some time for yourself to relax and rejuvenate. Coming back to a problem with a fresh and relaxed mind is better too. Talk to others : achievement of success is not a sole journey. Engage in conversations with your family, your mentors, your professors, your friends, your investors which will keep you updated and in sync with the their goals and plans too, because networking is important to succeed too.

7. Take deep breaths. Meditate.. Often, worry adds to more worry. Prioritise and list out all your problems. Figure out what your next step should be. Jot down actions to be taken and try to specify a time-frame for each task. However, remember to keep it flexible because delays or circumstantial mess-ups are inevitable, even in the best laid of all plans. Keep it real. Try to figure how much water you actually stand in. Think in terms of short-term goals. Try to address key issues with practical plans. Coordinate well with your team. Hold regular discussions with your employees and team to understand others’ perspectives too.

8. DO NOT PROCRASTINATE. Please. There are a whole host of things to be done, and they’ll keep on coming. Stay on top of your emails, appointments, meetings and work, in general. Left-out things will keep on hanging over you and not let you concentrate on the present. Use various applications and reminders; make a to-do-list, if necessary.

Know that a strong emotional quotient is very important to survive in today’s world, especially in the cut-throat competition the corporate world is witnessing. Trust yourself. Keep working. Keep progressing.