How I Got Out of a Funk (and Saved My Business) He realized he was standing in the way of his own progress.
By Kimanzi Constable Edited by Dan Bova
This story appears in the January 2017 issue of Entrepreneur. Subscribe »
When I was 19 years old, I delivered bread to grocery stores. But I dreamed of entrepreneurship -- writing, speaking, coaching and traveling the world while building a location-independent business -- and worked up the nerve to walk away from my steady paycheck. I took a few online courses, hired some coaches and teachers, and educated myself on the worlds of digital marketing and branding.
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Over the next 17 years, I built my consulting and lifestyle business, Chaotic Organization, and authored multiple books on the topic of entrepreneurship. I learned countless lessons that helped me overcome difficult circumstances, self-limiting beliefs and times when it felt easier to quit. I wish I'd remembered these lessons at the beginning of 2016, my 18th year in business. Because that's when I needed them the most. I went through a nasty breakup at the beginning of that year. I thought I could focus on my business, but the truth is, my personal life sidelined me. It started slowly at first -- I missed some deadlines for clients; I canceled some strategy sessions. Then it got worse.
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