Why You Need Mental Flexibility In Your Business

You’re either crushing it or spiraling. Productive or stuck. Have a specific plan or no idea what to do next.

Sound familiar?

I've gone through this a lot in my one-person business. One day, it seems like everything is going my way. The next day, my to-do list is completely overwhelming, and I feel like all of my Big Plans are insurmountable.

The world certainly rewards winners, so it's easy to feel like you've failed if you haven't achieved 100% of everything you've set out to do. I keep track of goals and whenever I fall short, I beat myself up for a bit, wondering if I could have just "done more" or "tried harder."

If you've felt this way, you're trapped in an all-or-nothing mindset, which is a variation of perfectionism. It's exhausting.

It's better for your business — and for you, personally — to let go of perfectionism. Mental flexibility allows for messy progress, imperfect launches, and learning from mistakes. Because the "not perfect, but still moving forward" zone is where you'll find sustainable growth.

All-or-nothing keeps you stuck

The brain loves certainty. And, as fellow perfectionists know, one way to give the brain what it wants is to plan.

I fall into the Extreme Planner category, adding all kinds of goals and metrics. I have a Notion dashboard [affiliate link*] and update it frequently.

The problem? I get excited when I check a box because I've reached my goal. And frustrated/stressed when I miss a target I've set for myself.

If you feel the same way, it's because (like me), you think of lists/goals as binary. You either met the goal or you didn't. Doesn't matter if you've made progress along the way.

This year, I've worked on changing my mindset. First, I started creating 90-day goals instead of annual goals. A smaller increment has helped me break free from the "all-or-nothing" mindset.

I also rely on systems to keep me going, even if I feel stuck or like I'm not sure which direction to take. For example, I have a whole process to turn blog posts into social posts using automation and AI (which I always edit before publishing). I might be swirling around in the background, thinking about a project or how to grow my business, but "showing up online" stays consistent.

But, in this example, I have to be careful not to feel defeated by metrics or social media performance. I may set a goal of increasing my followers by X number within 90 days. If I don't meet that, I have to tell myself that it's not because I didn't show up. Fighting the algorithm is tough, and few people have "cracked the code."

Instead of thinking, "I didn't meet the goal, I failed," I have to instead look at what resonated with people. I can't control the algorithm, but I can tweak my content as I connect more deeply with the right audience.

Sometimes life is messy

Let's say you plan out your 90-day goals, and even look forward to future quarters. You're so excited about the plans you have for your business.

And then... something happens in your personal life. Something that completely throws you off, because it needs your attention. When you're operating a one-person business,, you don't have a backup person. You have to set your plans aside.

That happened to me recently. I found out that I have a brain tumor. I need surgery, which will have a long recovery time. I had just launched a cohort that I was really excited about, and had to shut it down because there was no way for me to deliver. I had other plans for later this year, and have had to press "pause" on everything.

Life happens — whether it's a major medical issue, a family change, or something else going on in your life. It's not a failure if you can't manage to keep your business going at the same speed (or at all) while you deal with those things. It also doesn't mean that you can't come back and achieve the things you wanted to achieve. The timeline just looks different for you.

Moving forward without certainty

Mental inflexibility happens when we think things have to happen a certain way. We see a specific path or outcome, and we work toward that goal.

But nothing is certain. You may have certain audience goals or metrics you want to achieve, but you can't control The Internet (no matter how hard you try!). Or life happens.

Mental flexibility is moving toward an uncertain future instead of a certain one — and being ok with that.

This is very hard for my personality. I like to plan and make lists, and work toward goals. It's been easy for me to beat myself up in the past. I look at someone else who has achieved the things I wanted to achieve (like launching a cohort or course) and think, "I didn't try hard enough."

That's the wrong mentality. Even big leaps start with small moves. If you didn't meet your goal, you still made progress. If your plans are derailed or you're not feeling motivated, try to think of something small you can do. The momentum will come

Give yourself some grace

You can still grow your business, even if you don't have the perfect conditions. Even if it takes longer than you thought. Even if you end up taking a different path.

When you have mental flexibility, you are easier on yourself during any bumps along the way. And you also make space for experimentation. You let go of "it has to be this way" and start exploring alternatives.

An artist I know often uses the phrase, "What if it's awesome?"

What if your business is awesome, no matter what you do?

You can continue to take the next step. Even if it's small. Even if it's messy. Have the mental flexibility to say, "That's exactly the right effort, for now."

Check out my free guide for creators looking to better manage their time and content across multiple platforms.

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