Source: blogs.smh.com.au

When you run your own business, you are often everything to everyone. You need a wide range of skills from management and accounting, to human resources, sales and marketing. It can be easy to fall into the trap that you have to be jack of all trades. Many years ago, I certainly went down that path. At the time, I was running a business that required me to learn about a whole new industry. I remember sitting down one day and thinking: "My brain is too full. I'm sick of learning new things."

Of course, that comment was a product of exhaustion and too many late nights trying to learn new technology, reading reams of tax legislation to become an instant expert in the field and running a retail store which was open seven days a week. The reality is that I actually love learning about new things. But I was simply overwhelmed with too much information.

What's your response?

Those were the days when I had convinced myself I had to know everything. I figured it couldn't be that hard to be Superwoman (it was). Now that I'm further along in my entrepreneurial journey, my experience has evolved. I now have even more to do, new businesses to develop and more staff to look after. Instead of deluding myself that I can do it all, my gut reaction has been one that's very human - "fight or flight"

I either dig my heels in and get ready for battle - that is, fight. In this case, I am ready for the challenge and am prepared to take on any obstacle in my way. But then, if I'm too tired, uninspired or just not interested in the minutiae of a project, the flight response can kick in. You know, when you just can't be bothered to work through a valid initiative - maybe you have too much on your plate right now, or you just can't get motivated to make it happen.

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