The only certainty in business is that there are going to be stress and hurdles, and that you’ll thank yourself later for them. Every mental block is followed by a release, and every downswing is followed by a towering peak. There’s nothing to be ashamed of, it’s all part of the process. The important thing to keep in mind when you’re experiencing a rut in your business is that it’s all temporary. You are the sole master of your commercial destiny and just need to take a different look at your practices to get back on track.

There are any number of reasons why you could feel like your business is stagnant. It mostly boils down to a deficit in relationship, a bad habit, doing the wrong thing with your time, or focusing on the wrong aspects of your business. In the modern era it’s easy to meet a business associate online and strike up what you think — falsely — is a respectable working relationship. It’s easy to get caught up in the wrong routine or the wrong way of allocating our time on the job. It’s easy to settle for small-time clients and not chase the big fish. But the solutions to these problems can be just as easy.

If you feel like your relationships are paper-thin, be proactive. Book a company outing, or invite that partner out for an impromptu lunch. It is from these relationships that you will build your web of associates who will someday take your company to the next level. Quit having a nightcap before bed or smoking cigarettes on your break; see if the difference you need comes from having a clearer mind. Start focusing on exactly what your customers need from your product or service, then deliver that need in spades. Read as many books as you can. Go above and beyond in your creativity, serve your community, and see where you end up in a month, six months, or a year. You just may be surprised how much ground you can cover when you take an objective look at things and shake them up from the inside out.