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A 3 Step Process to Deal With Negative Emotions as an Entrepreneur

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If you’re like me, you’ve probably had your fair share of ups and downs while being an entrepreneur. There are moments where everything is going great and then the next moment it feels like everything has gone wrong. The hard truth is that this rollercoaster ride will continue to happen but how we deal with negative emotions as an entrepreneur can change our lives for the better.

Did you ever think about why you think of negative emotions more than positive emotions?

Our brain is wired to think of most things with a negativity bias. This is because this way of thinking was very useful when humans had to fight for survival. Nowadays, this way of thinking is more hurtful than helpful. To change these negativity biases, you will have to retrain your brain to see in a more logical way. 

There are many different types of negative emotions that a person can feel. Examples include: Frustration, anger, sadness, disappointment, fear, uncertainty and anxiety. These are some of most common negative emotions that people feel when doing business. There are other negative emotions as well.

Qualities You Need To Have To Deal With Negative Emotions

You need to have certain qualities if you want to deal with negative emotions effectively.

These are the qualities you need to have:

  • Self Awareness
  • Reflection
  • Reframing

Being self aware is important because it will allow to actually recognize what negative emotions you are feeling. Having a reflective ability is key. Whenever negative emotions happen, you need to have the ability to reflect and see why are these emotions happening. Being good at reflection means that you can emotionally remove yourself from the situation and not be attached to it. 

Reframing is also another quality you need to have where you can reposition negative experiences and thoughts into positive ones. We will talk more about reframing later. Now let’s talk about the steps you need to take in order to manage these emotions.

“Negative emotions like loneliness, envy, and guilt have an important role to play in a happy life; they’re big, flashing signs that something needs to change.” – Gretchen Rubin

These are the steps you need to take to manage negative emotions:

  • Acknowledge The Emotions
  • Understand Emotions
  • Reframe the emotions

Acknowledge the Emotions

The first step is to describe what you feel. Take a deep breath and actively acknowledge your emotion. Once you narrow down what exact emotions you feel, you can start asking yourself certain questions.

Remind yourself that you can’t control which thoughts and feelings are entering your mind.

Ask yourself these questions:

  • How do I feel right now?
  • What is happening?
  • How is it affecting me?

Asking yourself these questions will help you raise your self awareness when it comes to your emotions. Once you know the answers to these emotions, you can move on to the next step.

Understanding Your Emotions

Now it is time to understand your emotions. This is where you ask why are feeling this emotion. You do this through a series of guided questioning.

  • Why am I feeling X (insert negative emotion)?
  • What is this feeling trying to tell me?
  • What can I do now to change this emotion?
  • What can not do now to change this emotion?

You are now ready for the final step, reframing the emotions.

Reframe The Emotions

Reframing is a powerful tool that allows you to see things differently. That is literally what reframe means. Reframing will take more time then the previous steps so it’s normal to repeat this part again and again.

To reframe, you can ask yourself questions like:

  • How could I see this differently?
  • What if I reacted the opposite way?
  • What steps do I need to take to see this differently?
  • What can I learn from this experience?

This process requires you to do this several times. Repeat until you don’t have this negative emotion anymore.

Learning how to deal with negative emotions is a skill that can be learned and perfected over time. The more you work on this skill, the better you will become at it.

The important thing to remember when dealing with negative emotions is that they are a natural part of being an entrepreneur. Don’t try to escape them. Let them come and use this simple three step process to manage them. As long as you take the time to acknowledge, understand and reframe your feelings, it will be easier for them to go away.

Bill Choudhry is an experienced cold outreach and outbound sales professional. His approach is non-salesy, consultative, and authentic. He enjoys long walks at the park, frisbee football, and baking magical brownies for his marketing friends.

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Business

The Entrepreneur’s Reading List That Transforms Ideas Into Empires

These must-read titles and writing insights reveal how entrepreneurs turn bold ideas into empire-level success.

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top entrepreneurship books for business growth
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Entrepreneurship is powered by stories—of accomplishment, failure, and decision moments that define businesses. Books are maps, providing insight from individuals who’ve traversed the road ahead. (more…)

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Entrepreneurs

The Leadership Shift Every Company Needs in 2025

Struggling to keep your team engaged? Here’s how leaders can turn frustrated employees into loyal advocates.

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Bridging the gap between employees and employers
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In workplaces around the world, there’s a growing gap between employers and employees and between superiors and their teams. It’s a common refrain: “People don’t leave companies, they leave bad bosses.”

While there are, of course, cases where management could do better, this isn’t just a “bad boss” problem. The relationship between leaders and employees is complex. Instead of assigning blame, we should explore practical solutions to build stronger, healthier workplaces where everyone thrives.

Why This Gap Exists

Every workplace needs someone to guide, supervise, and provide feedback. That’s essential for productivity and performance. But because there are usually far more employees than managers, dissatisfaction, fair or not, spreads quickly.

What if, instead of focusing on blame, we focused on building trust, empathy, and communication? This is where modern leadership and human-centered management can make a difference.

Tools and Techniques to Bridge the Gap

Here are proven strategies leaders and employees can use to foster stronger relationships and create a workplace where people actually want to stay.

1. Practice Mutual Empathy

Both managers and employees need to recognize they are ultimately on the same team. Leaders have to balance people and performance, and often face intense pressure to hit targets. Employees who understand this reality are more likely to cooperate and problem-solve collaboratively.

2. Maintain Professional Boundaries

Superiors should separate personal issues from professional decision-making. Consistency, fairness, and integrity build trust, and trust is the foundation of a motivated team.

3. Follow the Golden Rule

Treat people how you would like to be treated. This simple principle encourages compassion and respect, two qualities every effective leader must demonstrate.

4. Avoid Micromanagement

Micromanaging stifles creativity and damages morale. Great leaders see themselves as partners, not just bosses, and treat their teams as collaborators working toward a shared goal.

5. Empower Employees to Grow

Empowerment means giving employees responsibility that matches their capacity, and then trusting them to deliver. Encourage them to take calculated risks, learn from mistakes, and problem-solve independently. If something goes wrong, turn it into a learning opportunity, not a reprimand.

6. Communicate in All Directions

Communication shouldn’t just be top-down. Invite feedback, create open channels for suggestions, and genuinely listen to what your people have to say. Healthy upward communication closes gaps before they become conflicts.

7. Overcome Insecurities

Many leaders secretly fear being outshone by younger, more tech-savvy employees. Instead of resisting, embrace the chance to learn from them. Humility earns respect and helps the team innovate faster.

8. Invest in Coaching and Mentorship

True leaders grow other leaders. Provide mentorship, career guidance, and stretch opportunities so employees can develop new skills. Leadership is learned through experience, but guided experience is even more powerful.

9. Eliminate Favoritism

Avoid cliques and office politics. Decisions should be based on facts and fairness, not gossip. Objective, transparent decision-making builds credibility.

10. Recognize Efforts Promptly

Recognition often matters more than rewards. Publicly appreciate employees’ contributions and do so consistently and fairly. A timely “thank you” can be more motivating than a quarterly bonus.

11. Conduct Thoughtful Exit Interviews

When employees leave, treat it as an opportunity to learn. Keep interviews confidential and use the insights to improve management practices and culture.

12. Provide Leadership Development

Train managers to lead, not just supervise. Leadership development programs help shift mindsets from “command and control” to “coach and empower.” This transformation has a direct impact on morale and retention.

13. Adopt Soft Leadership Principles

Today’s workforce, largely millennials and Gen Z, value collaboration over hierarchy. Soft leadership focuses on partnership, mutual respect, and shared purpose, rather than rigid top-down control.

The Bigger Picture: HR’s Role

Mercer’s global research highlights five key priorities for organizations:

  • Build diverse talent pipelines

  • Embrace flexible work models

  • Design compelling career paths

  • Simplify HR processes

  • Redefine the value HR brings

The challenge? Employers and employees often view these priorities differently. Bridging that perception gap is just as important as bridging the relational gap between leaders and staff.

Treat Employees Like Associates, Not Just Staff

When you treat employees like partners, they bring their best selves to work. HR leaders must develop strategies to keep talent engaged, empowered, and prepared for the future.

Organizational success starts with people, always. Build the relationship with your team first, and the results will follow.

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Entrepreneurs

What Makes an Entrepreneurial Leader? Traits of the World’s Best Innovators

Inside the mindset of entrepreneurial leaders who transform risk, passion, and vision into world-changing results.

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When you think of Richard Branson (Virgin Group), Bill Gates (Microsoft), Steve Jobs (Apple), Rupert Murdoch (News Corporation), and Ted Turner (CNN), one thing becomes clear: they are not just entrepreneurs, they are entrepreneurial leaders. (more…)

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Entrepreneurs

Building a Business Empire: Lessons from the World’s Boldest Entrepreneurs

Learn essential lessons, success strategies, and mindset shifts every aspiring entrepreneur needs to overcome challenges and build a thriving business.

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Back in July 2017, I attended a business seminar on entrepreneurship in India. With my appetite for learning and meeting new people, I wanted to explore the latest developments in the entrepreneurial world. (more…)

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