Funding falls through, partners fall ill and disasters strike, so build these three habits now to stay focused when your next crisis hits.

Ask any entrepreneur about the worst leadership crisis they’ve ever faced, and they’ll have an answer immediately. It probably wasn’t their proudest moment, but it likely made them a stronger leader.

Those defining moments don’t always happen at work. Mine came on Mount Kilimanjaro, when my wife suddenly lost her eyesight from altitude sickness near the summit. What followed was a 24-hour descent to get her the medical care she needed. As the chaos unfolded, I fell back on a mindset I had developed over my career as an executive and an endurance athlete. It allowed me to stay focused under extreme mental and physical stress.

No one can predict the curveballs life will throw at them. Funding falls through. A natural disaster shuts down your business. A business partner falls ill. You don’t need a life-or-death crisis to build resilience as an entrepreneur. You do need a framework, so every setback becomes a chance to strengthen the mindset you’ll rely on when real adversity strikes.

Here are three habits that have served me well, and that every entrepreneur can start practicing before they need them.

In a crisis, your mind will become either your greatest strength or your greatest weakness. The difference lies in whether you let fear dictate your actions or train yourself to think clearly under pressure . Like any skill, performing under pressure can be developed long before you need it.

Source link