📪 HH #72: If you can’t handle chaos, you won’t last
- Justin Hubbard
- Mar 16
- 5 min read
Picture this...
You wake up to a flood of problems.
The crew is late.
A customer is pissed.
A competitor is running their mouth, trying to undercut you.
The bank account looks thinner than it should, and your phone won’t stop buzzing.
It’s not even 9 AM, and you already feel like you’re on the ropes.
Sorry to get your heart pumping and your anxiety shooting through the roof, with your blood pressure about to rupture a main artery. But welcome to owning a service business.
This chaos isn’t an accident; to me, it’s baked into the game. There’s no such thing as smooth sailing.
One minute, everything’s working; the next, you’re scrambling to put out fires. If you can’t handle the pressure, you quite simply won’t make it.
Most people crack under this kind of heat.
They panic.
They get emotional.
They freeze up or make desperate decisions that sink them further.
Some just quit altogether, convincing themselves they "weren’t cut out for it." I've heard this so many times, and truth be told, they were cut out for it—they just gave up too soon.
I'll be honest, some people definitely aren't meant to be entrepreneurs. If you're too risk-averse, short-sighted, or not very tactical, you'd be much better off working for someone else. There's nothing wrong with that. It's just not the life I choose to lead.
The real players in the entrepreneurial game don’t run from chaos. They operate through it.
Why Chaos Separates the Winners from the Weak
Business is a game of problems. If you’re waiting for a day with no issues, no stress, and no surprises—you might as well wake up because you’re dreaming. (Too corny? You tell me 😂)
Here’s what happens when most people face chaos:
They react emotionally. When the pressure’s on, logic goes out the window. They snap at employees, argue with customers, or spiral into frustration instead of fixing the problem.
They let fear dictate decisions. When things go sideways, they make knee-jerk moves—cutting prices out of desperation, saying yes to bad deals, or making choices that hurt them long-term.
They avoid confrontation. Some pretend the problem doesn’t exist. They let overdue invoices stack up. They ignore negative reviews. They avoid making tough calls because it’s uncomfortable.
They burn out. When you’re constantly reacting instead of leading, stress eats you alive. They don’t set boundaries, don’t delegate, and eventually, they tap out.
If any of this sounds familiar, don’t take it as an attack—take it as a wake-up call. Most people aren’t built for this, but you can be.
How to Perform When Everything’s Falling Apart
Top operators don’t have less chaos—they’ve just trained themselves to thrive in it. Here’s how you can do the same 👇
1. Expect It. Plan for It. Accept It.
Stress, setbacks, and unexpected fires are guaranteed. Instead of being surprised by problems, start expecting them.
A last-minute cancellation? Someone quitting out of nowhere (boy do I have stories about this)? A major expense popping up? That’s a Tuesday.
When you accept chaos as part of the process, it stops knocking you off balance. You’ll deal with it calmly and strategically, instead of emotionally.
2. Slow Down Before You Speed Up
When pressure hits, most people panic and start making moves just to feel productive.
That’s a mistake.
The first thing you need to do? Pause. Take a breath. Assess the situation. Prioritize. What actually matters right now? What can wait? Who can handle what?
Speed is important, but the right move is better than a fast one.
3. Cut the Noise, Solve the Problem
Stress makes people focus on everything at once. They spin their wheels worrying instead of fixing what’s in front of them.
When you’re overwhelmed, ask one question:
→ What’s the next thing I can solve?
Handle that. Then the next thing. Then the next. Don’t let a bad hour become a bad day because you lost focus.
4. Make Decisions Like a Leader, Not a Victim
When you run a business, you signed up for this. No one’s coming to save you.
Complaining won’t fix it. Wishing it were easier won’t change a thing.
Winners don’t ask, “Why is this happening to me?” They ask, “What am I going to do about it?”
Every decision is a fork in the road. You either make the strong move, or you make the scared move. One keeps you in control. The other makes you a passenger in your own business.
5. Train for the Long Game
Fatigue makes cowards of everyone.
You don’t think clearly when you’re exhausted. You don’t make good decisions when you’re burnt out. If you want to handle high-pressure situations, you need stamina.
That means:
☑ Sleeping enough to function. You’re not a machine.
☑ Fueling your body properly. Junk in, junk out.
☑ Building mental resilience. Read. Train your mind. Learn to push through stress.
Success isn’t just about working harder—it’s about enduring longer than everyone else.
The Only Choice: Break or Break Through
Business isn’t easy. You knew that when you started. The ones who win don’t have it easier—they just refuse to fold when things get hard.
They keep moving. They keep adjusting. They keep performing, no matter what’s happening in the background.
So, the next time chaos comes knocking—because it will—ask yourself one thing:
Will you break, or will you break through?
Because at the end of the day, the only way to win is to play the game better than everyone else.
Now... LET'S GET TO WORK!✌️
Justin Hubbard
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