We all have excuses as to why things didn’t work out how we’d planned in our business — the economy, lack of experience, not the right time, the wrong idea, the wrong market, staffing issues, a sick pet or simply lack of time.
But as marvellous and convenient as those excuses sound, I think there’s more to it.
You see, for years, I was successful in my career. I was doing a great job and I was getting paid very nicely for it.
Then I left.
I walked away with a spring in my step and a glow in my ego.
This was my time.
I was ready to do something on my own.
Or so I thought.
What followed was years of uncertainty, excitement, dread, euphoria, ups and downs.
I couldn’t work out why things weren’t working out.
But then I took a closer look.
The common thread was me.
The common thread was the absolute terror I felt with each new step, even if I wasn’t calling it that.
I was so used to what I’d been doing in the past, I’d forgotten how to manage being new at something.
I’d forgotten that I was a beginner again and not everything would work out perfectly every time.
I’d let the resistance beat me so many times that I’d lost count.
I’d labelled this terror as everything but what it truly was.
But that wasn’t serving anyone.
So I made a choice.
I chose to stop letting fear rule my actions.
I chose to stop letting fear determine my future.
I chose to embrace being a work in progress.
I chose to stay curious to my reactions.
I chose to get it done no matter how scared I was.
And things have shifted.
Things are working better than ever before.
Things are moving in a direction I’d never dreamed of but that I’m so excited by.
Don’t let fear rule your actions and dampen your future.
Make a choice now to do what it takes.
Make a choice to embrace the discomfort that comes with exploration.
Make a choice to say YES when something excites you.
“Saying ‘YES’ doesn’t mean you’re not shitting yourself.” – Joanne Fedler
As Ryan Holiday states in The Obstacle is the Way, “Focus on the moment, not the monsters that may or may not be up ahead.”
