How to Keep Going When Business Is Hard

When we think of great leadership, we often picture someone charging forward, tackling tasks head-on, working harder than anyone else in the room. But the truth? That’s only 20% of the picture. The other 80%—the part that often goes unnoticed—is what’s happening inside their head. And that’s what helps you keep going when business is hard.

Resilience is a skill, not a personality trait. And it’s the foundation of what sets a strong, consistent leader apart.

At The Business Fixer, we’ve worked with countless business owners who’ve faced some form of breakdown: a tough quarter, a surprise resignation, a cashflow crunch, or simply feeling like they’ve hit a wall. What separates the ones who bounce back and go further from those who stall isn’t strategy, it’s mindset. Resilience stems from your mindset.

Let’s explore what it really means to be a resilient leader, how to shift your mindset from reactive to intentional, and the habits that can help you stay grounded, no matter what business throws at you.

Resilience Isn’t About Suppressing Emotions

First, let’s debunk a common myth: resilience is not about pushing negative emotions down or pretending things are fine when they’re not.

A resilient leader doesn’t ignore pressure or disappointment—they feel it, acknowledge it, and then consciously decide not to stay stuck there. That’s the real skill: being able to sit with discomfort without being consumed by it.

You might feel angry after losing a client. Frustrated when a project goes off track. Anxious about an uncertain future. All of those feelings are human. Resilience is the ability to observe those feelings, name them, and then let them go before they dictate your next decision.

It’s this inner skill that helps you keep going, even when business is hard and nothing seems to be going your way.

The 80/20 of Leadership: Why Mindset Always Comes First

We’ve all heard of the Pareto Principle: 80% of results come from 20% of the effort. But when it comes to leadership, the rule takes a more powerful form—success is 80% mindset and 20% hard work. A phrase often associated with Simon Sinek, and one that perfectly reflects the truth behind effective leadership.

You can have the best systems, the strongest team, and the most ambitious goals—but if your mindset is poor, you will struggle to stay on track, and may even give up completely.

So what does a resilient leader’s mindset look like?

• They focus on what they can control. Not everything, just what’s within their influence.

• They lead from vision, not fear. Even in crisis, they hold onto the bigger picture.

• They expect setbacks—and don’t take them personally. Business will test you. That’s part of the deal.

• They bounce back faster. Not because they don’t fall—but because they’ve trained themselves to rise.

If your mind is in the right place, you’ll naturally take more effective action. If your mind is cluttered with doubt, guilt or self-pity, no amount of ‘hard work’ will fix the problem.

Practical Ways to Build Resilience and Keep Going When Business Is Hard

Resilience isn’t something you either have or don’t—it’s a muscle. And like any muscle, it gets stronger the more you train it. Below are practical daily habits used by resilient leaders to stay sharp, focused, and emotionally steady.

1. Start and End with Intention

Start your day with a clear focus. Before you open your inbox or scroll social media, take five minutes to check in with yourself. Ask:

• What do I need today?

• What’s my biggest priority?

• What’s one thing I’m grateful for?

Likewise, end your day with reflection. Acknowledge your wins, however small. Then release what didn’t go to plan—mentally clocking off allows your nervous system to reset.

2. Move Your Body to Shift Your Mind

Physical movement is one of the quickest ways to shift energy and break negative thinking loops. You don’t need a full workout—just 10 minutes of walking, stretching, or breathing deeply can bring clarity. Resilient leaders use movement not as a luxury, but as a tool for mental performance.

3. Reframe Setbacks

This is a cornerstone of resilient thinking. When something goes wrong, your instinct might be to catastrophise or blame. But resilient leaders pause and ask:

“What can we learn from this?”

Instead of “We lost a big client—this is a disaster,” they might reframe it as, “This is feedback. Where did our offer or delivery fall short? What do we need to improve?”

Reframing turns failure into insight, and mistakes into growth. Over time, it changes how you experience setbacks entirely.

4. Be Careful What You Let In

You are what you watch, listen to, and who you surround yourself with. If you're constantly surrounded by what I call energy vampires—people who are always full of negative energy—you’ll feel drained before the day’s even begun.

Negative attracts negative. But when you deliberately fill your mind with positive, constructive inputs—whether that’s uplifting books, inspiring conversations, or time with people who energise you—it strengthens your mindset.

This is about consciously choosing what fuels you—and what depletes you.

5. Quick Focus Resets

You don’t need to sit cross-legged for 30 minutes to benefit from resetting your mind. Throughout your day, create simple opportunities to reset your focus:

• One deep breath before opening a difficult email

• A pause before speaking in a tough conversation

• A quick scan of your body for tension at your desk

These micro-moments bring you back to the present. They stop you reacting from emotion and help you respond with intention.

Leading Others Starts With Leading Yourself

Your team doesn’t need a perfect leader—they need a present one. Someone who shows up with calm authority, even when times are tough. Someone who owns their mistakes, resets quickly, and moves forward with clarity.

And to do that, you must lead yourself first.

Resilience isn’t a set-it-and-forget-it skill. It’s something you cultivate daily. It’s the difference between snapping at your team or coaching them. Between spiralling after a setback or adjusting your plan. Between burning out or staying in the game long enough to see your vision through.

You’re Allowed to Feel It—But Don’t Stay There

Too many business owners believe they need to ‘power through’ everything alone. That showing emotion makes them weak. Or that if they admit things feel hard, it means they’re not cut out for this.

Nothing could be further from the truth.

Being a resilient leader means feeling the pressure—and continuing anyway. It means showing up even when it’s uncomfortable. It means admitting “this knocked me,” and still choosing to rise.

So if you’re in a tough spot, the solution isn’t to push harder. The solution is to reset your mindset—so you can keep going even when business is hard.

Ready to Strengthen Your Resilience?

You can’t lead effectively if your own mindset is working against you. That’s why so many of our clients start with a free Strategy Session—a focused call to help you step back, get clarity, and identify what’s really holding your business back.

Whether you're navigating a challenge or simply need space to refocus, this session gives you expert insight into your business’s performance—and what’s needed to move forward with confidence.

👉 Book your Free Strategy Session today. Let’s get your mindset working for you—not against you.

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