• I was startled out of sleep the other morning by my 5-year-old daughter Ava. It was 6 a.m. and still dark as she ran into our bedroom screaming the ‘F’ word.

    The word flew out of her mouth as if it was launched by NASA.

     

    "FRIDAY! Today Is Friday!!!!"

    What a great word... Friday.

    Do you remember back when you were in school, how happy you were to finally get to Friday?

    Unfortunately, for far too many entrepreneurs, the word has lost all its power. Even worse, that special "Friday-feeling" has also disappeared from our busy lives.

    Yet, for self-described cubicle slaves and school kids alike, no matter how heavy the burden or workload, there is always Friday. For them it's more than just a day; it’s an attitude.

    • Friday is freedom from worry.
    • Friday is fun, which should be part of every day.
    • Friday moves us forward.
    • Friday feels fantastic.

    Any day can be Friday. It’s a landmark event that signifies triumph: It’s time to race to the FINISH (another favorite ‘F’ word) and begin the process of recovery from a batch of productive work.

    I’m sure you’ve used the ‘F’ word on more than one occasion as your grow your business. Sometimes just one word like that can determine your attitude for the entire day.

    In my coaching practice I've noticed that most entrepreneurs have completely lost the special feeling that comes from the anticipation of downtime after completing a task or project. It's as if running their business has become a never-ending marathon with no finish line whatsoever.

    If you don't have a finish line, how will you know when the race is won?

    So, what about you? How many ‘Friday’ moments have you experienced as an online entrepreneur?

    What other words trigger action and emotion as you sprint to complete your projects and achieve your business goals?

    I'm no wordsmith, but I’m beginning to pay more attention to language. I give my kids credit for this gift as they teach their dad a thing or two about 'nice words' and "bad words."

    Watching my daughters learn new vocabulary words, and form their speech patterns, I marvel at the way their minds work. There’s a lot going on inside the brain of a 2-year-old when she tries to say “hippopotamus” for the first time. But the result of her accomplishment, however tortured the pronunciation, is a joy to behold.

    I've also learned the power of words – their meaning and the images they project.

    Some words hurt, others bring smiles. At times, simple words, and the rhythms they create in our minds when spoken, can be quite soothing.

    Here are some examples:

    Relax...

    Replenish...

    Recharge...

    Feels kind of nice, doesn't it? Now, think about the meaning of those words and the images they place in our minds.


    Relax... slow down, lie down, kick up your feet. Feel the ocean breeze and the warmth of the sun on your skin.

    Replenish... cool water on a hot summer day, a refreshing dip in the pool after a long day at work. The feeling of nourishment we get after downing a fruit smoothie.

    Recharge... the kick of an espresso to start your morning, the turn of an ignition key and the roar of a supercharged engine. You’re built for speed, baby, and ready for action.

    Make it a point to incorporate these kinds of words into your business day today.

    I know I’ve been talking a lot about information overload recently, but it’s important for you to realize how it will feel when you declare victory over it.

    Where once there was information anxiety, now there is recovery.

    Recovery is a very important word for all of us. And I am not talking about the type of recovery you get from a 12-step program either (Sorry, Lindsay Lohan fans).

    Instead, I am talking about a time where you actually recharge well enough so you can come back with even more energy than before.

    When you stop and think about it – and I strongly encourage you to do so - stress followed by recovery stimulates growth. Without recovery, continual stress leads to burnout or breakdown.

    If you’ve ever been interested in weight lifting, you know what I mean. When you work out at the gym, you take your muscles past the point of failure. Then you must give your muscles enough time to recover so that they can rebuild and be better prepared for similar stress.

    When training your body, if you don’t fully recover you’ll end up overtraining it. The net result is you get weaker instead of stronger: The exact opposite of your original goal.

    This happens emotionally, too. Think about the traumatic events that were once devastating, but that you now recognize as empowering: Family crisis, the death of a loved one, the break-up of a relationship, the failing of a business venture, the loss of a job, etc.

    The reason for this renewed strength is that you have fully recovered from the trauma and are now better prepared to handle similar stressful situations. But this time, you’ll handle them much better.

    If you don’t allow for recovery, and you get hit with another crisis, it can be demoralizing for you, your family, friends and business.

    If you’ve read the biographies of as many successful entrepreneurs as I have, then you’ve definitely seen this pattern of trauma, recovery, and victory in their lives. So many successful people go through some horrible reversal, but they recover, and later they’re stronger because of it.

    Often, many battles are lost before winning the war.

    That’s why the concept of recovery is vital to our growth. And you should strive to incorporate it in all that you do.

    So how does this translate into your own life?

    It means for every 14-hour workday filled with adrenaline and the promise of financial success, there must be rest and recovery if you want to be at your best.

    It also means if you are struggling with information anxiety you’ll never get to experience recovery (and its resulting growth) because there’s no finish line – no end in sight. The race or pace just never lets up.

    That’s why a “Just in Time” approach to information is superior to “Just in Case” methodology. By acting upon information as we need it, rather than hoarding information just in case we may need it, we train ourselves to be more efficient and successful. Because there is a finish line, there is a tangible goal by which to measure our growth.

    Remember those soothing words: relax, replenish and recharge.

    I’ll add another: RESPOND to this blog post and share your entrepreneurial challenges.

    Let me know how your “recovery” stories have helped sharpen your business focus.

    Some of the toughest times in our lives become the most inspirational. Some of our “lowest lows” provide our greatest life lessons.

    Remember, Friday is a metaphor for recovery. With information overload, there is no real recovery, but there can be relief. And with no recovery comes burnout or breakdown. Relief brings its own reward.

    As you experience “Friday” every day, let me know how your Friday moments are fueling your business growth.

    Your attitude may be your greatest asset as you move forward.

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