Even though there are signs that the economy may be starting to turn around, this has been and continues to be a stressful year for most business owners. I often think stress should be spelled $tre$$. I cannot think of many jobs that pay a good amount of money that don’t also offer a good amount of stress. The interesting thing about entrepreneurship is that you can encounter stress either because you are busy and growing and making money — or because you are not. After many years of ups and downs, I have some tips on how to deal with stress in productive ways:

1. First, identify the real problem. Entrepreneurs often say they just need more sales or more credit. From my personal experience and from looking at other businesses, I have found that this is frequently just the symptom. More often, the problem is bad marketing, bad management or poor financial management (often pricing and debt-structuring mistakes). It might take someone with more expertise to analyze the situation and identify the weaknesses and solutions. Joining a business group, interviewing new accountants or reaching out to other business people you respect can make a huge difference.

2. Separate the fear from the anxiety. Fear is rational, a healthy emotion that keeps us from doing reckless things and helps keep us focused. Some would argue that starting a business is reckless, but I think it’s more of a calculated risk. In business, you have to manage fear and overpower it. Whether the tight rope is 100 feet up or 1,000 doesn’t make much difference. Don’t look down. Look straight ahead. Focus. Take action.

Anxiety, on the other hand, is unwarranted and irrational worrying. Do your best to recognize anxiety and eliminate it from your mind. I know, it’s easier said than done, but you do have to do it. Go to a professional if you have to. Exercise. Many studies have shown that exercise reduces stress.

3. Forgive yourself. Business is not easy, and there is no way that you can do business and not make mistakes. Wasting energy on looking back and feeling stupid is an exercise in futility that you cannot afford. Stop feeling guilty. Save that for the way you treat your spouse or children when you are in a bad mood. Stop that, too. You can do it. Roll with the punches.

4. Keep perspective. Look around you. Life is not fair. Horrible things happen every day, most of them not to you. Self-pity is kryptonite to the superman/superwoman entrepreneur. I have read many books on successful people. They all had serious problems along the way. Their success is as much about tenacity as it is about working hard or being smart.

5. Accept responsibility. There is no one to point fingers at. It’s all you. If you didn’t know that when you signed up, too bad. Now you have to figure out how to make it work. This is America. Everyone loves the underdog. (If you are not in America, never mind.) After you have accepted full responsibility, re-read No. 3.

6. I don’t want to sound trite, but you need to think positively. If you think negatively, you will fail. If things are so bad that you can’t do any of this, throw in the towel. Get it over with. Take the hit. There is no shame in failing. You took a shot. It didn’t work. The sooner you can get it over with, the sooner you can move on.

Entrepreneurship is not easy, and it is not for everyone. It can provide great rewards. It does get easier. It should get easier. It takes time.

Jay Goltz owns five small businesses in Chicago.