In my discussions with people lately, I've been asked a lot about what gave me the courage to launch my business. I have to be honest and say that the idea for easy period was something I held onto for many years. For me it took a big health scare in my family to wake me up and push me to take action toward something I was really passionate about. I wanted to write about these fears and beliefs that hold us back and offer some suggestions on how to silence that voice within. I've included pictures of our launch day, a day that without ignoring many deep seated fears could never have happened.
How many of us have a great idea or a deep desire that we keep hidden?
One of my favourite things to do after talking with someone about what they do day to day is to ask them about what else they’re interested in.
The way someone’s face lights up when they begin talking about something they’re passionate about is one of the small joys of life.
From personal experience and conversations with others I’ve come to notice that many of us are terrified of pursuing what truly lights us up.
The fears are a plenty:
Who am I to… start a business, have a blog, groom cats, write a book, work on a cruise ship, play the violin etc. etc.
We hold the belief that we are unqualified to do whatever it is we desire to.
The fact is, many people who have made the decision to go after what makes their heart sing were not the MOST qualified person for the job.
They didn’t necessarily have the schooling, experience or knowledge that would make them stand out from the crowd, but what they did have was passion.
If you were interviewing two people for a position, one who on paper was highly qualified but in person had absolutely no enthusiasm and the other who was under qualified but had a fantastic attitude and an eagerness to learn- which would appeal to you most?
What you need to recognize is that whatever that thing is that keeps you up at night, that you could talk about for hours, that you get compliments about, that doesn’t feel like work to you, that particular thing sparks something in you for a reason.
So no, on paper you may not be the ideal person to make this dream come true.
But do not underestimate the fact that your unique combination of life experiences, interests and desires makes you the perfect person for something.
It is often our quirks, the privileges we weren’t afforded, the deepest pain and criticism we have received that ultimately creates in us the character necessary to achieve that which we most desire.
What if.... I fail, I make an ass of myself, no one cares, my relationship ends, I get fired. The what if’s.
With anything new, there is the potential for less than desirable outcomes to take place. In part, being aware of these possibilities is good planning, it allows you to take steps to ensure they don’t take place.
In part, these sorts of fears indicate expansion. Each time you do something that forces you to grow, there will inevitably be the possibility of failure.
Here’s the thing, failure is a part of life that is equally as important as success.
We forget this, the word failure feels gross, no one wants to fail.
What we fail to remember is that any person who has achieved something that they desired has also failed numerous times. Numerous.
Failure is one of the greatest learning opportunities. If we are always up, there is no potential for growth. If things are always soft and cushy, we become boring.
Failure creates new opportunities, it makes us crafty, it makes us creative. Do some homework on anyone in the world that you admire. Seek out information about their failed attempts. They exist.
Failure and success are two sides of the same coin, expect both. Each are signs that you are on your way.
I have so many ideas, how do I choose what to do?
This is a fantastic question. We often feel called in so many directions, we have an interest in so many things as well rounded people.
Something to consider though is that you don’t have to do just one thing. By making a choice and working toward something, you aren’t ruling out the other beautiful endeavours in your psyche.
Instead, by committing to one of your desired outcomes, you’re creating a crash course for yourself.
This decision to act, to take the steps necessary to see a dream through will create for you a unique curriculum. You will learn at a pace you couldn’t otherwise.
All that you learn will come in handy when you look to incorporate another desire into your life, or focus on a new one entirely.
Sometimes we get caught up in the choosing and the difficulty making a decision paralyzes us from doing anything at all.
The important thing is often just to act. Take the next action that feels right toward something.
Make the call, send an email, do some research, write a list, just commit to something and take a small action.
With each new action, you will recognize just how capable you are.
Your desires, those deep inner wishes are yours for a reason. Know that your gifts, what you bring to the table makes you uniquely qualified. There is something about you that will do things a way they have never been done, because there is no one quite like you.
Often our greatest limitations live in our own heads. The fear of what others might think, the potential for failure or someone else having already done what you’d like to do hold us back from doing anything.
It’s good to look these fears in the face. Get clear on what exactly is stopping you. Once you can identify them it’s a lot easier to tell those fears to get out of the way. Our time here is limited, don’t deprive the world of what you have to give.
The sooner you get clear on your fears the sooner you can begin to create a picture in your mind of what it would look like if you succeeded.
Try to dwell in this possibility more often than in your fear and see what you can create.
