Banish business worries with this simple formula

The self-torment has been grinding on for hours: “What if they hate what we’ve done for them? What if they’re so disappointed in us that they don’t want our services any longer?”

We’ve all carried on these inner dialogs and most of us know how futile they are. Part of the problem is that we’re experts in “awfulizing” things -- projecting out the consequences of something to the most disturbing level possible. 

Then you up the ante. “Suppose other customers hear about this and they go away, too. The business could shut down. It would be devastating.”

What’s the best way to think through this problem? The natural response is probably the worst: a brooding, back-and-forth analysis. You start thinking in depth about the work your company did, trying to convince yourself it was OK. But the nagging, inner naysayer springs to life and concludes that all is lost. 

There’s a way to get off this torturous treadmill. In his book “How to Stop Worrying and Start Living,” Dale Carnegie presents an anti-worry method of Willis Carrier, inventor of modern air conditioning. It was a course of action Carrier devised to deal with anxiety over a piece of installed equipment that was failing for a customer.

For Carrier, it was a serious financial loss for his company and, likely, the end of his job. For you, tossing on your bed in the dead of night, it’s that the customer won’t like the job and that the business relationship may end because of it. That brings us to the next step.

For Carrier, it meant accepting the loss of his employment. OK, it’s done. The job is gone. For you, it means losing the client over some substandard work. Done. The customer is gone. Now what?

Some backstory: Carrier had installed this equipment for a customer at a cost of $20,000 (serious money in the early 20th century). It was supposed to remove impurities from fuel but wasn’t doing the job. Carrier feared the company would be out all that money and he’d be finished working there. But now that he had accepted the worst, he began to strategize on how to improve upon it. He came up with a plan that involved spending another $5,000 to make the original equipment work properly. It wasn’t a perfect solution but he was able to stave off a crisis involving a much larger loss. Had he continued worrying, he may never have thought of this solution.

Let’s say that you -- the unhappy insomniac -- now accept the worst and calmly begin improving upon it. What can you do? Maybe apologize to the customer for the work and agree to fix it, reducing the cost on the whole job. Or in the event the customer ends the relationship, you can devise a plan of action to land new business to replace this loss.

At any rate, you’re thinking solutions, not “what if” scenarios.

And, of course, there’s always a good chance the customer won’t even be displeased with the work and all will be well. Either way, you’ll be prepared.

Now, go back to sleep and stop worrying.