It’s Groundhog Day! If you are a Bill Murray fan like me you might remember a little movie he starred in a few years back called Groundhog Day. Bill played Phil Conners, a weatherman sent to Puxatony, Pennsylvania, to cover the annual Groundhog Day festivities. A sudden snowstorm hits and Phil is trapped in town with his television crew. The next day when Phil wakes up it’s Groundhog Day all over again. Phil eventually discovers he is trapped reliving the same day over. Every day is Groundhog Day! It wasn’t until Phil changed who he was that he was able to break the cycle.

The truth is many of us suffer from our own version of Groundhog Day. We spend our days doing the same things over and over while expecting different results. Like Phil, until we discover that we first need to change ourselves before things truly change. My business owner clients can relate. They have lived their Groundhog Day for long enough. They’re tired of being overwhelmed by their company, frustrated with employees not performing as they should, or losing talent to their competitors.

When starting a business we are willing to bet on ourselves. Our belief that we are better on our own is more powerful than working for someone else. With some skill, hard work, and a little luck we beat the odds and start building a successful company. At some point many owners start to feel overwhelmed. The business is doing well, but it only seems to do better with our regular involvement. When we take a break problems build and sales slump. Every decision needs our approval. Eventually family life and personal needs suffer under the responsibility of keeping our livelihood going. Like Groundhog Day, we continue doing the same things. The freedom we sought in our business turns into the shackles for what can seem like a prison.

Like Phil Conners, we have lessons to learn. Unlike Phil, we don’t have to go it alone. Here’s how you can stop living the same day over and over again:

• Ask for help – Our biggest weakness is what we perceive has to be our biggest strength. We feel like we need to be the smartest person in the room. Help is available if you are willing to receive it.
• What got you here won’t get you there – Many businesses reach plateau points and to transform the company means transforming how the business works. The systems that were successful when small may fail as the company grows. Be willing to change how you do business.
• Empower the people – I had one client who was unable to get anything done because he was the only one who could make a decision. We started empowering his team to solve the problems and we were able to transform how the company did business.
• Change starts at the top – Change only works when the owner embraces it as well. What is good for everyone else is good for you too.

So what is creating your Groundhog Day? What are you willing to do to change it? If you are ready to quit living the same problems over and over we can show you a new path.