Today, joining me for this episode of the Mads Singers Management Podcast is none other than the resilient entrepreneur Michelle A. Mercier.Michelle is a business coach, motivational speaker, and host of The Resilient Entrepreneur Podcast. Michelle is on a mission to bring back humanity in business because she believes that keeping things personal is suitable for businesses.Michelle hopes to get rid of the "hustle and grind' and "badge of busy"' mindset because it has become a misguided norm in today's society where people fail to see how self-awareness and a healthy perspective can help them reach unlock their full potential.We begin our talk where Michelle mentions a quote from Sheryl Sandberg on how being resilient is like a muscle where you can build it up and draw on it and become the person you're meant to be.Although life is constant, it can throw us into some weird situations. With the universe notorious for throwing giant curve balls at us, Michelle aims to cultivate the right business mindset and soft skills to foster the resilience to succeed in a world with ever-changing circumstances. But being resilient isn't simply flicking a switch and things being okay instantly, and this is why we need to recognize that adversity and that it's okay not to be okay sometimes.When learning new habits, people shouldn't underestimate the power of their old habits because they may relapse and go back to their old ways. However, a little progress can go a long way. One can practice bookending like Michelle does so that you won't be bombarded with so many thoughts to think of when you go to bed or be distracted while you work or spend time with your friends and family. These small things can change the way you show up to people, on stage, in front of your clients, friends, and even family. One can also challenge themselves by shaking up a few aspects of your life by learning a new skill or improving an existing one, but you shouldn't worry too much if you have missed a step in your routine or two, especially if things are out of your control.Key Learning Points:
Mads says that things only seem to be difficult because you haven't done it- 05:28
Michelle says she isn't happy with the definition of "resilience" in the dictionary because the act itself requires some effort. She hopes that people will be more accepting of the mores of adversity to continue moving forward. - 06:42
Michelle says that sometimes it's okay not to be okay. - 07:30
Michelle adds that while some things may be out of your control, you will always choose your feelings or reactions. - 08:19
Mads says that it's vital that we take full ownership of the things around us instead of blaming others. - 09:04
Mads says that the only person who can turn your life around is yourself. - 09:36
Michelle says that she believes that self-awareness should be the main criteria when running a company. - 12:39
Michelle says that business owners should be in tune with their employees to know how to manage them properly. - 13:18
Mads says that shooting down ideas from your staff is the worst thing a manager can do because it can make them less likely to share their thoughts and make them shut down. Even if it was a bad idea, acknowledge that they took the time to come up with an idea, and it is a benefit to your team. - 30:56
When forming new habits, Michelle shares how she likes to bookend her days by journaling, exercising, or visualizing the day so that she won't be thinking of all the crap when she goes to bed. - 34:38
Resources Mentioned:The Resilient Entrepreneur PodcastConnect with Michelle:WebsiteInstagramLinkedInFacebook