Are you psyching yourself out?

In a meeting a few weeks ago with a prospective client, I asked what she was currently struggling with most. She said she had been lucky to work within her niche for several years, but that she was just going to have to widen her target market because, given the current political and economic upheaval, her ideal clients wouldn’t be able to afford her.

“Do you know that for a fact?” I asked. “Like, have they told you that?” 

She admitted that it was actually “just a feeling,” pure conjecture on her part. 

And then, as if to prove my point, she proceeded to explain all the ways that the political and economic climate might actually sustain those clients — and increase their need for her services. 

I then asked how many clients she needs to sustain her small firm in any given year. A dozen? A hundred? Her answer was in the single digits.

Y’all, I think a lot of us are psyching ourselves out.

With the current political and economic upheaval, everything is extra uncertain. And that uncertainty breeds anxiety that slides so easily into our businesses. Even when it doesn’t need to.

What if no one can afford me any more?

I’m guilty of this as well. For the past couple months I’ve worried: Will I be able to get new clients (or retain my existing ones) in the midst of this economic flux? Are we heading into a recession that will completely destroy us all?

When I lift my head from my anxiety spiral for a bit, I can see more clearly. So far, my existing clients are committed to keeping me on. And as a one-person business, the reality is that I don’t actually need a ton of clients each year to meet my financial goals. So while it’s true that some may not be able to hire me right now, others will. 

As for a recession, we may be heading into one. But we aren’t in one yet. And it’s impossible to know exactly how that will manifest for any given individual or business — so it’s extremely difficult to plan for. 

It’s important to focus on what we can actually control. 

The big challenge in uncertain times is not to let the anxiety of our “lizard brains” take over. While it may be impossible not to feel the anxious feelings (by all means, feel your feelings!) — that lizard shouldn’t be in the driver’s seat of your business.

They aren’t the CEO. You are.

In short: Let’s stop making business plans or decisions based on fear and assumptions.

4 ways to make more grounded business decisions during uncertain times

It’s all well and good to know and believe that we shouldn’t act out of fear — but how do we actually DO that in real life? 

Here are four steps you can take to reel in your anxiety and take action from a more stable, reality-based, strategically-minded place.

1. Check your assumptions: Before pivoting a plan or strategy, ask: “Do I have evidence for the belief that’s motivating this change?” Talk to existing or past clients or have a few candid conversations with peers in your industry. Get out of your own head and see what others are actually experiencing.

2. Revisit your actual business numbers: Instead of reacting emotionally, look at your baseline: How many clients do you actually need to hit your revenue goals? What’s your client retention rate? Have there been any real changes in buying behavior? Ground yourself in facts rather than feelings.

3. Pause and test before committing to a change: If you’re considering changing your niche or broadening your services, test it in a small way first. Don’t overhaul your entire business on a hunch. Move forward intentionally, not reactively.

4. Use your energy to focus, not panic: Rather than reacting impulsively to perceived threats (like abandoning your niche or scrambling for backup plans), what if you channeled that anxious energy into strategic actions: refining your focus, strengthening relationships, and marketing your most valuable offerings.

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If you’ve been quietly spiraling, know you’re not alone — but you also don’t have to stay there. Uncertainty is real, but panic doesn’t have to be your business strategy. So take a breath, ground your decisions in reality, and keep showing up with intention. You (and your business) might be more resilient than you think.