I was at an entrepreneurship event in Porto Alegre, organized by E2 Ecossistema Empreendedor. The format was simple and powerful: the entrepreneur presents a challenge and everyone in the room offers alternatives, within a methodology that ends with concrete elements for them to work on.
To take part, you need courage. The word comes from “acting with the heart.” It’s a basic requirement for entrepreneurs, because the energy that revitalizes you must be reconnected every day, through dreams and purpose.
Without that connection, we take risks. The biggest one: falling into the trap of looking for someone to blame.
The government. The competition. The team. The contractors. The clients (or the lack of them). Everything becomes a reason. And off we go, complaining.
To complain comes from “re-claim”: to shout again. It’s usually the habit that hides the victim’s role. It’s automatic, unconscious. Over time it contaminates colleagues, family and, above all, the person themselves. And people drift away, because no one can afford the energy cost of being around it.
The way out? Three steps.
- AWARENESS. Shine light where it’s dark. Notice your speech, your attitudes, your habits. When someone starts complaining, observe before you react.
- PLANNING. What do you really want? What legacy do you want to leave? These are deep questions that lead you to look at things under the rug (the elephants in the room). Turn them into feasible projects, in small steps.
- ACTION. Reconnected with your projects, do it. Systematically.
And along the way, ask for help: willing friends, consulting, courses, groups. No one is alone. Above all, get out of where you are and look for other places and other people.
When was the last time you brought your biggest challenge to a room full of people willing to help?
Is there a decision weighing on you? Sometimes what’s missing isn’t an answer, it’s a good conversation with someone from the outside. If it makes sense, let’s talk. No script, no strings.