Reilly Newman | If you’re going through hell, keep going.”
– Winston Churchill
Any business knows that hard times come. Whether a shift in the market, a technological advancement, new competition, etc.
As the business and brand are challenged to fight for its life, it will naturally strive to adapt or die. (Read our article on Adaptation) This typically means the business is more open-minded to creative and interesting ideas.
Like a dehydrated sojourner in midst of a desert, they crawl desperately looking for water. Sometimes the mirage that appears is just what they need to have hope and drive in order to actually survive. Similar to a business on its way towards death, this mirage isn’t created out of effort, but derived from the situation at hand. A mirage is an optical illusion based on the heat and angle of sunlight. (Being severely dehydrated probably helps too…) Although not an ideal scenario to be in, a creative mirage could be what you need to see or visualize in order to press on.
The situation, in conjunction with the desperation of the person, creates a “hail mary” effect that can be the survival of the one lobbing the last throw.
Even through 2020-2021, you have seen businesses struggle through the pandemic and its wake. We have also seen the businesses that have massively pivoted thanks to this struggle.
Where do these successful pivots come from? Is struggling the answer to true growth and better solutions?
When a businesses is pushed to its limits and is challenged, they begin to see those mirages and are given a path. A true business owner will see these as opportunities and go for it.
It doesn’t have to be a pandemic to enforce this kind of pressure. It could even just be new competition moving into town that adds pressure to your revenue as they absorb their share of the market.
This pressure will empower you to find new ways to add value, stand out, and pivot. This is where true innovation and brand uniqueness is birthed. In a pressurized chamber…not in comfort. Too many businesses are comfortable and will be caught flatfooted as the rug is pulled out from beneath them.
When a business has a brand-focused mindset (Read our article on Longterm Mindsets) then they will not fall prey to abrupt changes in their market. They will always be playing offense and moving forward in efforts to continue to add more value to what they deliver.
No matter what struggle you are going through, “If you’re going through hell, keep going.”
Look and expect to see the opportunity of your situation. Your business, your brand, and most importantly, your audience will thank you and reward you for your efforts.
