I am not saying that a person cannot make decent decisions under pressure, but I do think it is far better to come from a position of strength and level-headedness than to be making decisions that affect our home businesses when we are feeling desperate. People tend to be more inclined to take uncalculated risks when they are feeling desperate, and desperation can make people do all sorts of unsavory and ill-advised things.
I know that we cannot always be expected to come at our businesses and our problems from a place of strength and confidence; there are certainly those times when we feel as though the bottom has fallen out or we have gone a few days with conflicted sleep and are feeling pretty desperate. BUT, if we can keep that in mind and give ourselves some room to get stronger before making a decision; or if we can get some objective help—we might be able to avoid the desperation trap.
I think this is why it can be so helpful to have a financial advisor, mentor, attorney, or someone (or someones) in your camp who you can turn to when you feel as though you are losing perspective. What might feel incredibly desperate to you in the moment, might not be such a desperate situation after all if you can step back and gain a fresh look a things. Even giving yourself permission to sleep on something for a couple days (I’ve found that for really stressful situations, I need to give myself three days to sleep and meditate on something before I am able to get out of desperation and into clear-headedness) can move you from a desperate stressed place to one of confidence and calm. Take time to gather facts, opinions, and work out a plan before making decisions and problem-solving when you are feeling desperate about your business.
Also: Does Your Business Self-Esteem Need a Boost?