Running a business will test you.
Some days feel smooth. Customers are happy. Phones ring. Money lands in the bank. You look like a genius.
Then come the other days.
A team member calls in sick. A van breaks down. Rain stops the work. A customer complains about something that was perfect yesterday. Suddenly, the world feels less friendly.
This is where many business owners meet what I call the Red line.
You cannot always control what happens. However, you can control how you respond.
The Morning It Went Wrong
Years ago, I arrived at work to one of those classic mornings.
A key team member was off sick. One van had a warning light on. Two customers wanted to change dates. It was raining sideways. To top it off, the phone was already ringing.
Now I had two choices.
I could go below the line.
That means blame.
That means excuses.
That means denial.
I could blame the weather. Blame the staff member. Blame the van. Blame the economy. Then I could tell myself nothing ever goes right.
Many people live there.
It is crowded below the line.
The Better Option
Instead, I chose to go above the line.
That means ownership.
That means accountability.
That means responsibility.
So I asked better questions.
What can we still achieve today?
Who can move where?
Which jobs matter most?
What can I personally solve in the next hour?
Straight away the mood changed.
The rain was still there. The van still needed attention. Yet now we were moving forward.
That is the power of above the line thinking.
The Prodanov Theory
I call this the Prodanov Theory.
Named after the boxer who keeps coming forward, applying pressure, and refusing to wait around for rescue.
Business works the same way.
When problems land, some owners back up and complain. Others step forward and take the centre of the ring.
One gets trapped.
One creates momentum.
Pressure does not always beat talent in business, but pressure beats passivity most days of the week.
Why This Matters
Many small businesses stay stuck because the owner lives below the line.
They blame staff.
They blame prices.
They blame competitors.
They blame customers.
Meanwhile, another owner in the same town faces the same issues and keeps progressing.
Why?
Because they own the problem.
Ownership is uncomfortable at first. Yet it is powerful.
Once you accept responsibility, you also gain control.
A Simple Test
Next time something goes wrong, listen to your first reaction.
If you hear:
- It’s not fair
- It’s their fault
- Nothing can be done
…you are below the line.
Instead, replace it with:
- What is the next move?
- What can I learn here?
- How do we fix this today?
That is above the line.
Final Thought
Business owners do not rise because life is easy.
They rise because when things go wrong, they stay above the line.
The weather may be poor.
The market may be tough.
The van may still be broken.
However, your attitude remains yours.
And often, that is the difference between staying small and building something worth being proud of.
