243: Why You're Stuck in Survival Mode Instead of CEO Mode (And How to Shift)

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From Survival Mode to CEO Energy - Real Talk for Overwhelmed Entrepreneurs

Are you running your business or is your business running you? In this conversational episode, Cindy Gordon explores the difference between operating from survival mode versus CEO energy, inspired by wealth mindset principles from thought leaders like Rachel Rodgers.

Learn why you're stuck responding to every "urgent" email, undercharging for your services, and feeling like the emergency response team for your own business - and more importantly, how to shift into strategic CEO thinking even when you're overwhelmed.

In this episode, you'll discover:

• The survival mode trap that keeps entrepreneurs small and stressed
• How to reality-check what CEO energy actually means for overwhelmed business owners
• Why women entrepreneurs struggle with money mindset and charging their worth
• Practical ways to shift from reactive to strategic thinking in your business
• The identity shift required to go from firefighter to CEO of your business
• Simple exercises to start operating from abundance instead of scarcity

Perfect for: Female entrepreneurs and small business owners who feel stuck in survival mode, constantly putting out fires instead of building their empire.

Join over 1,500 entrepreneurs getting weekly Reality Checks in Cindy's newsletter and discover why The Growth Collective members are successfully shifting from survival to CEO energy together.

Resources mentioned:

• Weekly Reality Check Newsletter (1,500+ entrepreneurs - JOIN THEM)
• The Growth Collective Membership ($1/day)
• The Reality Check Method Framework

Stop operating from scarcity and start making decisions from CEO energy. Your business transformation starts with this mindset shift.

🎯 You don't have to figure this out alone! The Growth Collective is your $1/day business support community with weekly office hours, strategic frameworks, and entrepreneurs who get it. Less than your coffee, more than a mastermind. Details at https://exclusivelycindy.thrivecart.com/the-growth-collective/

💡 Don't forget to subscribe for more quick productivity tips for overwhelmed business owners and female entrepreneurs!

💌 Join 1,400+ entrepreneurs getting exclusive overwhelm solutions and productivity strategies straight to their inbox - sign up now! https://cindygordon.myflodesk.com/countmein

Connect with Cindy Gordon - Reality Check Method Coach for Overwhelmed Entrepreneurs:

• Website: ExclusivelyCindy.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/exclusivelycindy/
• YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@cindygordon

Episode Transcript

(00:00):
Alright, friends, let's have areal conversation today.
I'm not gonna share a three stepmethod, just you and me talking
about something that's been onmy mind since I've been diving
into Rachel Rogers work aboutwealth, mindset, and CEO
thinking.
You know that feeling whenyou're running your business,
but it feels more like yourbusiness is running.

(00:22):
You.
When you're in constant survivalmode, putting out fires,
responding to every email withinseconds, treating every client
request like an emergency.
Yeah.
That's not you being a dedicatedbusiness owner.
That's you operating fromscarcity and instead of CEO
energy.
Hi, I'm Cindy Gordon, aself-made entrepreneur, busy mom

(00:43):
and execution coach.
I built and sold multipledigital businesses, and let me
tell you that the biggest shifthappened when I stopped
operating from survival mode andstarted thinking like a CEO, and
that's exactly what over 1500other entrepreneurs in my email
community are working on too.

(01:05):
We are shifting from reactive tostrategic, from survival.
To leadership.
So here's what I've beenthinking about and this really
hit me when I was exploringRachel Rogers concepts about the
millionaire mindset.
It's not about the money itself,it's about how survival mode
thinking keeps us small.

(01:26):
When you're in survival mode,everything is urgent.
Every client email feels like itneeds an immediate response.
Every opportunity might feellike it's your last.
Every discount request feelslike you have to say yes or
you're gonna lose the business.
Does this sound familiar?
I was talking to someone in ourGrowth Collective membership

(01:48):
last week.
Oh, and by the way, if you arenot in there yet, it's literally
a dollar a day.
We meet every week to workthrough these exact kind of
mindset shifts.
She said something that stuckwith me.
She said, I feel like I am anemergency response team for my
own business.
And that's it.
Exactly.

(02:09):
When we're in survival mode,you're not the CEO of your
business.
You're literally a firefighter.
And firefighters don't buildempires.
And here's where my realitycheck method comes in, because
you know I can't help myself.
But seriously, we do need toreality check what CEO energy
actually means for someone who'soverwhelmed.

(02:30):
CEO energy isn't about having aperfect morning routine or
wearing power pants suits.
It's not about pretending youhave it all together For us, the
overwhelmed entrepreneurs, theones juggling business and
family, and the ones whosometimes work from their
kitchen table, CEO, energy looksa little bit different.

(02:52):
It means making decisions fromabundance and not scarcity.
It means setting boundariesbecause you value your
expertise, not because you readit in a business book.
It means charging what you'reworth because you understand the
transformation you provide.
One thing that resonated fromRachel Rogers approach is the
idea that we need to normalizewealth for women, especially

(03:15):
women who don't fit thetraditional business mold.
Like why do we feel guilty aboutwanting to make good money?
Why do we apologize for ourprices?
And why do we act like wantingfinancial success makes us
greedy?
So let me share somethingpersonal here.
When I started charging premiumprices for my coaching, I felt

(03:36):
physically uncomfortable.
Like who was I to charge thismuch?
But then I reality checked it.
I have built and sold multiplebusinesses.
I have the experience.
I have the results.
The discomfort wasn't about myworth, it was about the old
survival mode thinking.
So here's what I want you to trythis week, and this is something

(03:57):
we dig deep into my newsletterevery Thursday.
Actually, pause right now.
Go to the show notes and get onthe list if you are not on it.
I'm serious.
Over 1500 Other entrepreneursget these reality checks every
single week, and they tell methat it is the one email that

(04:18):
they actually read.
Here's the exercise.
Every time you make a businessdecision this week, I want you
to ask yourself, am I makingthis choice from survival mode
or CEO energy?
Am I saying yes to this clientbecause I'm afraid I won't get
another one that's survivalmode.
Am I undercharging because I'mworried they'll say no?

(04:40):
Yep.
Survival mode again.
Am I checking email at 10:00 PMbecause I'm afraid I'm missing
something.
You guessed it.
That's survival mode.
Now, I know you might bethinking easy for you to say,
Cindy, but I need the money.
I just can't start acting like aCEO when I'm barely making ends

(05:00):
meet.
fair point.
And this is where I differ fromsome of the pure mindset work
out there.
You just can't manifest CEOenergy.
You need systems that supportit.
Start small.
Pick one area that you'reoperating from survival mode and
shift it.
Maybe it's your email responsetime instead of immediately.

(05:20):
Maybe you respond within 24hours.
Maybe it's your pricing.
You add 20% to your nextproposal.
Maybe it's your schedule.
You block off Friday afternoonsfor strategic thinking and not
client work Something RachelRogers talks about that I think
is crucial is that we need tochange our relationship with
money, especially as womenentrepreneurs.

(05:43):
Money isn't evil, wanting moneyisn't greedy.
Money is a tool that lets youcreate the impact that you want
to create.
When you have CEO energy aroundmoney, you see it differently.
You invest in your business, youhire help.
You value your time.
You stop doing everythingbecause you understand that your

(06:06):
time is better spent on CEOactivities, strategy, vision,
and relationship building.
But once again, here's myreality.
Check on this and this is why myapproach works for overwhelmed
entrepreneurs.
You don't need to go from zeroto millionaire mindset
overnight.
You just need to inch your wayfrom survival to stability, then

(06:31):
from stability to strategy andfrom strategy to CEO energy,
this is perhaps the mostimportant part, and it's
something that I see with myclients all the time.
The shift from survival mode toCEO energy is really an identity
shift.
You have to start seeingyourself as a CEO, even if you
are the CEO of one, even if youroffice is a kitchen table, even

(06:55):
if you're still figuring thingsout.
CEOs make strategic decisions.
They think long term, theyinvest in growth, they delegate,
they eliminate low value tasks.
They protect their energy.
Charge what they're worth.
They build systems.
They think in terms of scalingand not just surviving.
And here's what I love about theentrepreneurs in my community,

(07:19):
both on my email list andespecially in the growth
collective.
We're doing this together.
We are normalizing CEO thinkingfor overwhelmed entrepreneurs,
and we're proving that you canbuild successful businesses
without burning out, without thehustle culture and without
pretending to be someone thatyou're not.

(07:40):
So here's what I want you toremember from our conversation
today.
This shift from survival mode toCEO energy isn't about having
more money, though that can bethe result.
It's about changing how youthink about your business, your
worth, and your decisions.
You don't need to be perfect.
You don't need to have it allfigured out.

(08:02):
You just need to start makingone decision at a time from a
place of CEO energy instead ofsurvival mode.
If this resonated with you, Iwant to invite you to two.
Things first.
Get on my email list link in theshow notes every week.
I share real practical ways tomake the shift with over 1500

(08:24):
other entrepreneurs who get it,and second, consider joining the
Growth Collective.
It's a dollar a day annualmembership, so 365.
You get weekly office hourswhere you work through exactly
these kinds of transformations,and we do it together.
Lastly, remember, you're notbroken, you're not behind, and

(08:48):
you're definitely not alone andfeeling overwhelmed, but you are
a CEO whether you feel like itor not.
So it is time to start operatinglike one.
Okay.
Until next time, just remindingyou that when everything feels
urgent, nothing really is.
And remember, you've got this

Speaker (09:09):
Thanks for spending these few minutes with me today.
Remember, overwhelm isn'tpermanent.
It's simply your brain's way ofsaying pause and take a little
reality check.
If this was helpful, you'll lovemy weekly email tips where I
share the systems that keep meand hundreds of other
entrepreneurs on Track Link inthe show notes.
If you got value in today'sepisode, please share it with

(09:31):
another entrepreneur who needsthat reminder.
If you're loving the show, I'dbe so grateful if you could
leave me a quick review.
It helps other overwhelmedentrepreneurs find us.
Make sure you hit subscribe soyou never miss your weekly dose
of clarity.
For more resources and toconnect with me, visit
exclusively cindy.com.
Until next time, remember you'vegot this.