







I’ve been thinking lately about the great experiences I had in life. I thought about what has made me feel happy, represented a significant challenge, kept me out of my comfort zone and was rewarding... in few words, made me feel alive!

I came up with four life experiences: Being a dad, an entrepreneur, a freelancer and a race car driver. Fatherhood is by far my biggest accomplishment in life, yet I’ll be focusing on the other three in this post. I found out that starting a business from scratch, getting to the marketplace on my own and driving a race car as fast as I can, share several aspects.

Everything starts with a dream. To be my own boss, to have my company offering stock at the NYSE or to race in Formula 1 are big dreams. Ultimately, I cannot be frustrated if I don’t achieve them, because the gold is in the process. And this happens because of the passion I feel, which takes me through the ups and downs. As freelancers, entrepreneurs and racers we are passionate about what we do, and that sets us free.

Yet dreams require a vision, laying a path way for us to follow. We look ahead and then don’t think much about it. While going forward, we decide to get out of our comfort zone and assume risks (some of which are calculated). Of course, there are dangers, particularly when we push our limits. In this process, we make mistakes from which we are supposed to learn. These are usually discouraging, but we consider ourselves resilient people and we try to get back on our feet and face adversity. Yet we need to be self-confident, to get out there another day, another race and give it our best shot. Oh, yes... and we are stubborn.

If we look at this from a business perspective, there are remarkable aspects in common. We live on a budget (from race to race, gig to gig, or round to round or sale to sale). To be able to actually get this budget, we need to develop our own personal brand, work proactively in sales and generate credibility. We all need to work on the financial aspects of what we do and in deciding where and how we invest our budgets.

Should I buy a new set of tyres or a complete engine rebuild?

Should I hire a new sales person or invest in online ads?

Should I go on holiday or attend a convention?

Decisions everywhere!

But most important of all, we need to work on ourselves and learn to live with our mind. It’s imperative that we develop nerve management skills while performing at our best. I’ve found that this requires a mix of concentration and enthusiasm. Concentration to keep us focused and enthusiasm to keep us going. I’d say that enthusiasm is a source of strength. Metaphorically, we try to avoid skidding on fast corners while taking risks and pushing our limits. Yet, risks are an accepted part of the job.

So the big question would be how can I be at the top of my form, develop the best work I can or make my ideas become a reality without ruining it?

I found the answer in a racing book while wondering about the fine art of winning races (who would have thought I’d find it there!). Let’s imagine this race. You start about half way up in the grid because you didn’t qualify that good. You are angry with yourself. You can’t let go because you know the tremendous effort that required simply to start up the car at the track (both economical, logistical and technical). You have a team behind you who worked long hours in providing you with the best possible car, given the budget. Your sponsors have high expectations on you as well... you have the will to drive fast and bring the car home in one piece.

Red lights out! Pedal to the metal! 8,000 RPM. Second gear!

Your start was brilliant! Your are now at the top 5.

Lap after lap you pass the cars in front of you one at a time with flawless manoeuvres. Mid-race, you run in first. And then… your mind kicks in. You start listening to every small noise your car makes. You start worrying about overheating the brakes. You miss a gear change... Soon you start blocking your tires under braking. Small mistakes make you slower. The car running behind you gets nearer and nearer. After a couple of laps, he is tailing you.

How on earth do you manage your mind at full speed, drive fast and avoid mistakes? How do you win that race, given the conditions? How do you nail that big gig that you need so much? How do you convince that investor that has shown some interest in your company?

The answer I found goes like this:

“Delete your expectations. Focus on your possibilities”

In other words, stop thinking about winning the race. Focus on the next braking point. After that, focus on making the ideal line through the corner and maximizing your speed at the following straight. Then focus on the next braking point... well... you got it.

When we limit our mind tricks, we can focus on the job at hand. This not only has a calming effect, but actually helps us get things done. Eventually, we’ll get to the podium.

These words have become a mantra in my life. As an entrepreneur, I have found their deep meaning and felt them “in the skin”. Great days when I feel I can touch the sky with my hands are followed by days full of questions. “Why I am doing this” or “How am I going to solve this situation I can barely understand” are just a sample of how my mind assaults my self-confidence in those days. To keep going and focusing is hard, because enthusiasm has mysteriously vanished... and with it, strength.

But then something magical happens. A small issue I am perfectly capable of solving appears. I say to myself that it isn’t much work and that I can do it. So I start and all of a sudden, I realize I have been working quite hard (and in peace!) for some time. I only did something which I thought wasn’t that important, but somehow that started me up again and enthusiasm returned almost silently. I then breathe and continue with the next issue. And after it, on to the next one.

I believe that doubts appear when we start questioning our expectations. I find expectations very important when we define our vision and as a general direction for our efforts. But that’s about it. Our ability to be flexible in how we reach that direction is defined only by the actions we take. So keeping ourselves focused on what we can do brings peace of mind and performance.

So, how about you? How do you deal with your expectations?





Nicolas Reyes is an entrepreneur, race enthusiast and occasional writer. A former business consultant, he is the founder of Cloudlance.co, company that provides services to the freelancers and independent professionals of the world and of Digirodeo.com.























