Feeling the pinch?

Many of the design professionals I’ve talked to in recent weeks are feeling down about the economic downturn.

Perhaps you, too, are in a slump.

Sales are down, bills are piling up, projects are ending, the phone’s not ringing,  contracts are falling through, you’re losing out on bids, the calendar’s empty.

Business stinks, and you’re disappointed. And depressed. And desperate.

Welcome to the down side of design.  It’s no different than any other business, really.  Sometimes you get the bear, other times the bear gets you. It’s not fair or fun, but it’s fact.

What you have here isn’t a problem. It’s a test. It’s a test of your will, persistence, and  courage.

It’s a test that many design professionals fail. They give in to the pressure, give up the struggle and quit.

You have no time for that.

You have no time — now — to feel sorry for yourself, to compare yourself to others, to regret past mistakes and fear future ones. You have no time — now– for soul searching and pity parties.

This is no time to be a worry wart. It’s time to be a hero.

Those I admire most are not the designers and architects and window fashion professionals and industry partners who are successful from the get-go. 

You know, the ones who immediately attract more high profile clients than they can handle, get published everywhere,  and win all those awards.

I respect them.

To me, the real heros are  those  who rise to the top after rebounding from setbacks, mistakes, lousy breaks,  physical challenges, family problems, financial loss, and any of life’s other hardships.

They fall down. They stand up. They push on. And they never, ever give up.

So what’s it going to launch your hero’s journey, to ditch the doldrums and break out of your slump?
Time.

This is the time to:

Dig Deep. It’s easy to believe in yourself when you’re at the top of your game. It’s more crtical  when you’re not

Determine the Destination. Decide what it will take to bounce back — and set goals for achieving it.

Start Dialin.’ Set aside a Power Hour each day to call prospects, clients, ex-clients, industry contacts, mentors, perhaps a coach.

Think Fast. Decide what you can do — now — to create the most immediate income with the least amount of work

Think Back. Recall past successes in overcoming obstacles.
Stay  Fit. Excercising your body frees your mind.

Stay Positive. Motivational  books and tapes  work wonders.

Reward yourself. Treat yourself along the road to recovery. You’re a hero. You deserve it.

 There’s an outstanding audio program  on how to thrive, rather than just survive in challenging economic times. It’s called “Recession-Proof Your Design Career.” For more information: http://fredberns.com/Products_RecessionProofCD.html