The Solopreneur Roller Coaster: The Highs & Lows Never Stop (& How to Keep Going)

If you've entered the entrepreneur space, you know this feeling all too well.

• One day, everything is clicking and you're in flow. The ideas are coming and you feel unstoppable.
• The next day, you're stuck. Nothing seems to be working, you're second-guessing everything, wondering if your effort will ever pay off.

This is why most people don’t make it.

What I’m realizing is that no matter how far you get, the roller coaster of highs and lows never stops.

One of the toughest parts is learning to keep going through the hard parts anyway. The people who succeed aren’t necessarily the smartest, the most talented, or the most connected. They’re the ones who keep showing up.

Why the Roller Coaster is Normal

Most people assume that once they hit a certain milestone, the doubts and frustrations will fade.

• “Once I make X dollars, I won’t feel stuck anymore.”
• “Once my business is running, it’ll get easier.”

But that’s not how it works. At the start, you’re fighting obscurity. Later, you’re figuring out how to scale. Even after that, you're dealing with new challenges.

Every level has its own challenges. That’s why the most important skill isn’t avoiding the roller coaster, it’s learning to continue through it.

1) Shrink the Game

When you’re overwhelmed, your brain wants to shut down. Instead of worrying about everything, focus on one small, controllable action.

ACTION: Simplify your focus.

• If you’re stuck on an idea → Write down 3 different ways you could approach it and pick one.
• If you feel paralyzed by too much to do → Choose ONE thing to complete today and let the rest wait.
• If motivation is low → Set a “just show up” goal (write one paragraph, take one step, plan one task).

Small wins create momentum and momentum makes the next step easier.

2) Set Action-Based Goals (Not Outcome-Based Ones)

One of the most frustrating things in business? Attaching success to things you can’t control.

ACTION: Reframe goals into manageable tasks.

• Instead of: “I need to make $10K this month.” → Try: “I will reach out to 10 potential clients this week.”
• Instead of: “I need to build the perfect product before launching.” → Try: “I will create a basic version and get five people to test it.”

You can’t control how many people buy, follow, or engage. You can control the actions you take every day. Ironically, focusing on the inputs is what eventually leads to results.

3) Document the Process (See Your Progress Over Time)

A huge reason solopreneurs quit? They forget how far they’ve come. Everything feels like it’s moving slow until you zoom out.

ACTION: Start tracking your progress.

Try keeping:

• Daily Progress Journal → Write what you worked on today, what you learned, and where you got stuck.
• Monthly Check-In → Ask yourself: What improved? What’s still a struggle? What’s one thing I’d do differently?
• Before & After Log → Keep a record of your first attempts (early content, first versions of your product, first pitches) so you can look back and see how much you’ve improved.

What feels small today adds up over time if you stick with it.

4) Expand Your Timeframe

Most people give up too soon, not because they lack talent, but because they expected too much, too fast and get discouraged when it doesn't happen like that.

The people who make it? They're the ones that commit to a longer time horizon.

ACTION: Stretch your expectations for success

• Think in 3-5 year blocks. Give yourself permission to build slower.
• Zoom out when you feel stuck. If you keep going, the dip will pass.
• Track small wins. Not just revenue, but clarity, skills gained, and relationships built.

Momentum can be invisible in the moment, then revealed over time.

 Keep Riding the Dips

The lows feel brutal. The doubt makes you want to quit. If you focus on small daily actions, trust a longer time horizon, and commit to riding the dips instead of avoiding them…

You’ll look up one day and realize you built something real.

DISCLAIMER: This content does not contain business, investment, tax, legal, financial or other advice & is not intended to be used in this way. It includes the opinions of the author & is strictly for informational purposes. Please do your own research.