What do you do when you get overwhelmed?  Do you think it won’t happen to you?  Has it happened already with nearly devastating results?  Do you start running on auto-pilot, and begin making bad decisions for your business?

My wife, a former track runner, told me about this phenomenon called “hitting the wall.”  She is a daddy’s little girl, but her daddy often couldn’t make her track meets because he had to work to keep food on the table.  One day, her dad showed up right before the race.  Excited to see him, and determined to do her best, she took off from the starting line giving everything she had.  As a matter of fact, by the time she hit her fourth lap around the track she was beginning to catch up to some of the runners who were on their third lap.

Unfortunately, this caused her to lose track of the number of laps she’d run, and she began running a fifth.  Her older sister raced across the track to let her know that she’d finished the race and won by a mile.  My wife stopped, finally, elated.  Then, BAM, she fell to the ground.  She had hit the wall.   She told me that it felt like she ran right into a brick wall. She ignored her bodies limits and went beyond what her body was able to handle.

What about you?  As a business leader, you cannot afford to hit the wall.  You are growing an extraordinary business.  You’ve got to know your limits.  You’ve got to know when to stop so that you don’t hit that wall.  That means, of course, that you’ve got to have your backup plan in place so that your company can continue to function in your absence.  That means surrounding yourself with great people and great products who understand your company and can carry the torch while you rest.

Don’t worry – if you are pushing the envelope, at some point, you will need to rest.  It happens to all of us with extraordinary visions.  Pursue yours, vigorously, but take your break before you hit the wall.

Aepiphanni Business Solutions is a Strategy Consulting Firm dedicated to serving the needs of business leaders and executives. We specialize in helping people get into business, and stay there.  We welcome clients in the personal and professional services industries, including restaurants, catering and event planning.  As always, we welcome your comments, thoughts, questions and suggestions.  If you are seeking a business assessment, or have further questions about creating your strategy or developing your vision, please give me, Rick Meekins, a call at 678-265-3908, or email us at [email protected].