Break in case of emergency
Note 029: In the Belly of the Beast
Well, I promised at the start of this project to disclose all wins.
But possibly more importantly for you own growth and fortitude as a professional creative practitioner, I promised to disclose all…. hmmm… let’s call them: not wins.
Now, I was hesitant to publish this - not wanting to discourage any of you from chasing your dream… but…
Sometimes, (***deleted string of curse words***)
This, is such an account.
The following are my 7 in-the-moment techniques for surviving extreme hardship.
Welcome to the belly of the beast.
So.. take a breath, and Smile :) its going to make a great story once you’re out!
Before we get started, so not to concern you, I am out! - completely out - of the perfect storm that held me far longer than I anticipated - and I did not want to publish this until there was an end in sight!
I have already written a post back in 2021 about what helps me in personally ‘hard times’ (the passing of my father prompted the note then), and Talking, Laughing, Moving, Meditating, practicing Gratitude, and leaning into Community, remain central to my daily happiness - so feel free to revise that post:
I have had a fair number of 1 on 1 conversations with some of you (and others outside of this community) over the last 6 months, and it seems that it is definitely not just my studio that has copped it over the last 6-12 months.
If you are sailing smooth - Awesome! Keep on, and refer to previous notes for good times-doubling down :)
If you are in the thick of it - take a breath - read on - there is an end in sight for you too!
This is pretty heavy. But you are tough.
Deep breath here it comes:
Maybe you are being sued.
Maybe you are being *threatened (*in a professional context)
Maybe you are (fill in the blank)
Here’s is the takeaway right up front:
Every time you push through an extremely difficult period, 2 amazing things happen:
1) Many of your competitors, will not push through. You have now leapfrogged to a whole new level of business longevity.
2) Your ‘near-invincibility’ increases. Pushing through minor hardships and not quitting in the past, mentally prepares you -with proof from your past experience - that you have survived the ‘previously’ unsurvivable. This acclimatisation makes this situation, overcome-able in your mind. This cannot be taught and only experienced.
In case you are early in, I’ll give some years for context:
ADAD Started 2012.
2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017 - regular ups and downs of practice that you are all experiencing! You are levelling up every month that you keep on going. Keep it up!
late 2017 - 1st very serious, upsetting situation. Survived. And will not repeat!
2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023 regular ups and downs of practice, more pronounced (in ups and downs) as growing a team, workload, throw leadership in the mix, pandemic ups and downs just to keep it interesting
early 2024 - the belly of the beast.
Late 2024. Survived. A bit knocked around :) But out. And will not repeat!
In 2017, it was the 6 years prior of ‘overcoming’ the late invoices, cash slumps, odd bad-egg client, etc, that had acclimatised me for the 1st big rupture. Not nice or enjoyable, but there is levelling up only experience can give you.
Being able to look back at that time, earlier this year (2024), really look back - in my own memory of experiencing it - again, a far-from-nice experience even in memory - sews a tiny patch into your ever-growing invincibility cloak. That did not stop you. And this won’t either.
OK. Here’s what I did, and do. These are ordered by time of day:
1. If you wake up cold sweat through night (10pm - 3am)
Breathing technique: Inhale quickish, followed by sharp second inhale, followed by slow, full, 4 second exhale. (Original source Dr. Huberman)
Walk through end vision in mind: Touch, feel, experience your end vision. (This is a whole meditative technique I cant really got into here - different to my daytime meditation practice)
Goal is: to actually get to sleep, quiet the mind, and some good rest. Remember these are professional crises - you HAVE to WORK your way out of them. That requires rest.
2. If you wake up anxious early morning (4amish on)
‘Production Pivot’: Get up, and aggressively get after it. Immediately get into your morning routine (of course best if you sleep through till your usual wake up time. I am an early riser, amend for yourself). You cannot stay anxious while you are chipping away at the anxiety source!
Morning Routine: I have a solid gold morning routine that I have honed for almost 4 years, from multiple sources, I plan on publishing a ‘partner post’ that I’ll copy the link back in here after (Note 030 tbc... yesterday marked my 365th unbroken run of commitment to this routine)
Goal is: if this is within 45 mins of your desired wake-up time, get straight up, and straight into it. Do not think about it. If it’s more than roughly an hour earlier, see points 1 to put you back to rest. I find every time I do not obey this, and get back to sleep within 45 mins of desired wake up, I’ll sleep right though for hours (which may be needed now and again - but remember - our goal here is to minimise our time in the belly of the beast by aggressively working our way out if it.)
3. Overwhelming amount of work - where do I start (8amish)
Decide on what seems best - then execute - AND do not look back: There is likely no perfect answer, but you are in a bind and there maybe many, conflicting, urgent, unenjoyable things that need doing. You must complete 1 urgent, unenjoyable package of work (whatever that is) before moving on. This clears the mind.
Chunk it out: If these chunks are long, multiple days, multiple weeks - you have to chunk it. I keep aggressive 4 hour chunks as maximums. Do them 1st.
Goal is: to not let the wheels fall off everything else! 4 hours cumulative you will make massive progress. And the remainder of the day you can (after breathing or walking around the block), tend to your majority of wonderful clients! Keep sewing seeds! Keep cashflow going! etc.
4. When in the thick of it (all times of day working through this - 8/9am - 5/6pm)
I am built for this: I was told by a mentor, to literally say this, out loud. He was quite an aggressive personality (in the best way - type A - but totally dedicated to helping) - and I thought: what have I got to lose? Surprisingly, it works. Battle cry. You are built for this!
Notifications off: You have all heard this 1,000 times, even more essential to not be pestered by the client / builder / third party while you are in the act of sorting out the problem. It is in everyones interest.
Goal is: to aggressively chunk out that work and stay in the mindset of aggressively moving through this, with out distraction, especially without distraction that will replace this energy burst with anxiety.
5. When done for day (5/6pm)
Notifications back on: Update any other clients, projects, all the positive forces that have been trying to get in touch with you through the day.
Goal is: to ensure all your happy clients / builders / third parties stay that way! Their positive energy will assist you through this. They are a reminder of why you do what you do, and put into perspective that this anomaly is simply that - an anomaly, that needs fixing, that needs not to ever repeat but it is not representative of your whole world.
6. When considering working again in the evening (8pm on)
Burnout v Balance: It depends. 99% of the time it is better to Win the Day (see companion note 030… tba), or the knock on will affect tomorrows actions.
Huge Deadline Exception: Sometimes, you will need to grind out late to completion. DO not do this multiple days in a row. My rule is not to stack more than 1 of these, as it throws out my whole morning routine, which is essential for my physical and mental health.
Goal is: slow is fast. that means 4 hour triage to tend to all your other clients daily, and, constantly chipping and repeating your daily wins of the course of days / weeks.
7. If totally anxious again when going to bed (10/11pm)
Same as step 1: Breathing Technique / Vision Walk Through
That covers the cycle of the hardest days, snapping you into action, ensuring that you are chipping away, and solving the problem, resting enough to continue to chip away, ie: your path to ‘emerging from the belly’.
Now lets move into the positive things you will be doing at the same time!
The reason I stress limiting the solving time to 4 hours, is that you need time to complete these other, positive, functions throughout the day also.
Daily In-Belly practice…
Planting Seeds: Even if tiny, it is essential that you ensure all your critical tasks are also being completed in the hours outside of the 4 you have set aside to solve this problem. Calls, Leads, Fee Proposals, Helping Out others, Gratitude, Marketing:
You MUST continue to plant while you are in the belly!
Be extremely grateful if a seed planted from months or years ago happens to sprouts while you are in the Belly!
Notice, thank (gratitude), and keep aggressively working way out
… see postscript at the end :)
When emerging…
Only one way out: And that is working your way out. As you approach the end point, begin over communicating with the party involved. Keep planting. Keep working. Then…
You’re Out!
You did it! Congratulations!
Now: Here is your absolute superpower reward:
Do not step off the gas.
Keep firing.
You will feel invincible at this point, and you should.
You have generated your own momentum, even in the most difficult of circumstances.
Momentum is a beast.
Redeploy your new found rocket fuel towards all your lovely, paying, grateful clients - and you will exponentially compound where you were before being temporarily devoured.
There you go.
I hope you never get into a situation like this, but, if you are ambitious - with big goals - and to be signed up here you likely are - it will happen at some point.
Say it now: I am Built for This (you’ll smile - I bet!)
Post script:
I am obviously not going to put any details of the actual situations here - but - I will put the exact seed flourishing that sprouted while I was thoroughly in the depths.
A previous builder called me out of the blue, to thank me for years of paying it forward on our first house together, and again for his current house which we had been working on on and off over the last 5 years.
He had paid a fortune to have it styled, professionally shot, and gifted me the complete license as thanks. A sprouting previous seed planted, while in the belly of the beast currently.
This meant, while in deepest depths last month before emergence, we could launch our latest project on our website, no marketing costs. Total gratitude :)
This has also directly led, through the builders own marketing, 2 fee proposals out for extremely significant new projects (still out)….
This has thirdly led, to the selling of the house, meeting the new owners, and ADAD being commissioned - for a host of additional pavilions for a new client to that original house we are designing now!
Great and timely advice!