It’s been a minute since my last newsletter. I’ve been super busy with graduations, family events, and a business that thankfully continues to grow and expand.
This month I thought I would share a story. Many years ago, back in college, I severely tore my ACL while playing soccer—an injury that I finally had repaired about five years ago. Part of my rehabilitation has been Pilates. I never thought I’d say it, but Pilates has made a significant difference in my overall physical and mental health. I would strongly suggest Pilates to anyone looking to get back in shape, or simply to those who spend a lot of time sitting at a desk in front of a computer like I do.
A few weeks ago, I was in class and I noticed for the first time a chalkboard that said:
‘When You feel like quitting,
Think About Why you started.’
I don’t know why I didn’t notice it months, or even years earlier, but there it was. As I continued through the class, I kept thinking about the saying. I began to realize that it has to do with much more than just exercise. It applies equally well to what I do every day—starting and growing businesses.
As you may recall, a year ago we opened an Ellie Mental Health franchise in our local community. As much as I’d like to say it was all roses, it was not. As with anything in life worth achieving, it has been a fight. There were times my partners and I questioned ourselves: “Why did we bother to open the business?” We didn’t need to, and we already had plenty on our plate to keep us busy. Every time we asked this question, we refocused on our long-term vision: Where do we want to be in 5 years, or even 10 years from now, and are we on the right path to get there? Each time we asked that question, we realized that we are both on track and achieving good things. This mind set allowed us, in the heat of the moment, to gain perspective, focus, and the resilience that’s occasionally necessary to carry on.
Today, after 12 months in business, our Ellie Mental Health is breaking even and we are on track to achieve our goals and objectives. We realize that there will continue to be challenges. That’s life. But we’re keeping our eye on our long-term goals.
For those business owners who are reading this, you know this story isn’t unusual. In fact, it’s pretty much the norm. We open with a business plan. We execute the plan. Things don’t go as planned and we question ourselves. We then put our heads down, and push forward.
