When one steps into the life of entrepreneurship they step into an all-consuming life, especially if you are wanting the company/business to be a success. One eats and sleeps the business. You find yourself working in the business and working on the business constantly and sometimes simultaneously.

As an entrepreneur you find you are the accountant, the manager, the custodian, the sales clerk, the buyer, the researcher, and many more hats. With these hats you are repeatedly making decisions, thinking of the future, and rethinking the decisions you have already made. As they say the struggle is real.

If your day is consumed by these things it is very hard to shut off your brain from these bombarding thoughts at night. Some entrepreneurs will find it difficult to fall asleep and stay asleep. This is a side effect they do not tell you about when you first start out. Your sleep pattern changes. You will begin to wake up earlier and earlier; and you will go to sleep when you have exhausted yourself. Your dreams become more vivid and lively. And your nightmares scare you to death. All of these are signs that you care and want this endeavor to work out for your good and be a success. The majority of entrepreneurs have a lot riding on this venture. Families are involved, investors are calculating, wolves are looking to pounce, and doubters are waiting for your failure; so the entrepreneur mind is always mind mapping scenarios.

Because these besiege of thoughts have taken up residence in the minds of the entrepreneur, the entrepreneur and anyone sleeping in the same room with them may experience the sometimes comical and the other times distress sleep talking.

I have been startled from my sleep many times over the last ten years with Lamar (CEO of Get Sassy Beauty Supply) in a heated conversation with an invisible person, or laughing with a customer, or even just talking to himself about a situation. At first it was funny, then I was concerned, and now I understand. To be clear this does not happen every night, but I will say at least once a month or so.

I understand Lamar is carrying a weight and that weight at times can feel crushing. Although we may talk some things out concerning the business, there are still items he may not disclose at the time because he is still working through them himself. Through reading and research Lamar has found the importance of mentors and surrounding himself with like minded people. These groups have given Lamar an outlet to discuss situations and pathways for the business. Because of these outlets and the ability to identify stressors early on, sleep talking has become less and restful sleep has become more.

He still wakes up between 3am-4am to start his day because he has found this is the most productive time for him to work on the business. It is during this time when he is the most creative, the most alert, and the most open to hear. If he has a dream or nightmare and he if can remember it, then this becomes a reflective time. He considers changes in himself or for the business, he contemplates risks, or he seeks guidance in this reflection time.

Entrepreneurs have an enormous amount of ideas and thoughts ping-ponging through their minds and it is inevitable that they will at some point talk business in their sleep. So the next time you witness an entrepreneur sleep talking about business take this as an indication that they are dedicated and determined to make this business work, not only for themselves but for everyone it will impact. Some of the best revelations can come through sleep talking.

Dream big, Talk big, Implement big.

Remember Keep It Sassy.