In a room full of successful entrepreneurs and business owners, you’d be hard-pressed to find even a handful who haven’t been wronged or hurt somewhere along their route to success.

Maybe the wrongdoing was the result of an honest mistake – one that set you back or lost you money – but a mistake that caused you or your business harm nonetheless.

Or maybe you were intentionally wronged by someone you trusted. Perhaps they failed to do good on a promise, jumped ship when you needed them on board most, or spoke disparagingly about you to people you respect or hope to do business with.

Whatever the case may be, being wronged hurts. Once you’ve done what you can to control the damage done by the wrongdoing, you may find yourself left with lingering feelings of hurt, resentment, anger and difficulty trusting or sharing responsibility with others on your team.

When you hold onto past hurts and offenses, you may find yourself living in the past. Have you ever found yourself thinking about a past wrongdoing to the point where it consumes you and holds you back from making strides forward in your business? Then read on…

The Power to Choose

Forgiveness isn’t easy. In fact, it can be gut-wrenching to reach a place where you’re prepared to forgive a person who deeply hurt you. But make no mistake about it: Forgive is a choice.

Sometimes the person who has wronged you has stepped up to the plate to apologize for their role in causing you pain. And – unfortunately – sometimes the person who wronged you doesn’t – or chooses not to – step up and take responsibility. We can’t control the actions of others, but we can control how we react to them.

When you hold onto anger and hurt, the person who ultimately suffers for it the most is you.  Choose to work through your anger and hurt. If you’re religiously inclined, just as I am, choose to let go and know that God doesn’t place obstacles before you that you cannot overcome. It may not be an easy decision, but it will be a freeing and empowering one.

Forgive Your Way to Greatness

When we are wronged, we are faced with two choices. We can get stuck in our pain, or we can plough through it. Choosing to forgive is a tremendous exercise in personal growth and development. Forgiveness requires great strength and resolve that will serve you well as you inevitably encounter future obstacles.

In addition to developing the character necessary to succeed, be aware that when you forgive – or opt not to – you are sending a message to your team and peers. People respect those who exhibit forgiveness more than those who cannot stifle their anger or let go of an old grudge.

Self-Forgiveness

While forgiving others can feel like an insurmountable challenge, sometimes the hardest person to forgive is yourself. Maybe you set a goal and failed to reach it, let an opportunity slip through your fingertips, said something insensitive to someone you met at a networking event, or didn’t hold up your end of a deal.

In order to move forward, you need to do what you can to right your wrong, especially if someone else was hurt as a result of your words or actions. But just as you need to forgive others who have wronged you, once you have put forth your best effort to right your wrong, you need to forgive yourself. You won’t be able to rebuild your confidence or your reputation until you do.

Many of our Celeste Giordano Coaching clients have had to work through pain to overcome obstacles holding them back from  achieving great success in their entrepreneurial business ventures. In addition to proven sales and business strategies, we’re committed to helping each one of our clients find the strength and self-esteem necessary to “Double Plus” their income this year. Contact us today to learn more.