It's late and I just finished meeting with Ed. Ed was one of my students when I taught at a local area high school. There was a strict rule that "while you are my student, you will be my student. Once you're 18 and graduated, you can become a friend." Ed took me up on that, and 17 years later, we still get together to catch up.
My college graduation gift to Ed was a trip to Chicago. Prior to that, he had never been on a plane, nor had he been outside of Ohio. That weekend trip changed his life. In just a few days, he saw how much more life had to offer. Within a year Ed bought a motorcycle, learned how to ride it and took off on a cross-country trip that forever changed his life.
In California he landed a brilliant job and met a wonderful woman who became his wife.
After 5 years of marriage, Ed feels stale. Uninspired. The old man on campus. "How do I get that 'thing' back that made me drive cross country?", he asked.
It was then that we realized when Ed left Cleveland, he was running away. He wasn't sure where he was going; he was just getting away from here. Now, he wants that next great adventure, but he's not running away from anything. He wants to run TO something; something rewarding and fulfilling and something that gives his life purpose. He's just not sure what that something is yet.
Is your business like that? Are you finding it harder to run TO something (sales goals, calling customers, leadership), but you're not sure what exactly you're running to?
Define what you DON'T want (financial ruin, lack of purpose, failure) and do everything you can to get away from those things. Run away from the uncomfortable things and maybe you'll find the things you want to find along the way.
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