It hit me so hard I froze still, trying to take it all in. I didn't even realize I was holding my breath. I then hurriedly gathered supplies so I could write down the words spoken that echoed in my ears.
To pass time, I was watching the T.V. show "How I Met Your Mother". I was on season 4, episode 20. I didn't expect something so profound to happen while watching that show, but it did. Let me just get to the goods, here's what was said:
To pass time, I was watching the T.V. show "How I Met Your Mother". I was on season 4, episode 20. I didn't expect something so profound to happen while watching that show, but it did. Let me just get to the goods, here's what was said:
"The longer I put off starting my own firm,
the longer it can remain a dream and not something I screwed up at."
the longer it can remain a dream and not something I screwed up at."
That right there is what caused me to seize up, pause the show, search for a pen and paper, then write it down. Of course, I'm not starting my own firm, however I have this deep desire to start something. In the past, I've started {or attempted to start} many styles of my own business, brand, or blog. To name a few: Glady Anne Photography, Sparkle Plenty Jewelry, and currently Whole Body. However, in all cases I just kept putting off going public, advertising, or quite frankly jumping in with both feet.
I would get a crazy amount of creative and fun ideas flowing through my mind really fast, I would write them all down and that was usually it. I would still be excited, but rarely would I follow through with all my wonderful ideas I had. To be completely honest here, I was scared. Scared of what people would think, scared of my product, scared it wouldn't work, scared I couldn't handle it, scared of screwing up.
There you have it, I've admitted my problem. That's supposed to be the first step, right? Now it's time for an action plan and then to take actual action. Not idealized action.
To go one step further, I'll tell you one of my fears that holds me back: I'm scared of working with strangers. I'm scared I won't be good enough. Then I go back and forth in my mind with the catch 22, I need to work to get experience, but I need experience to work. I would play around with how to get past the hump {which was usually 90% fear of working with strangers} and then I would slowly change my focus to something else as it slipped to the back burner. That pretty much sums up my experience with starting my photography business. It was that or some other excuse.
The fitness quote, "You need to be stronger than your strongest excuse." works well in this setting. I've been passionate about photography for 6 years and I've been passionate about starting a photo business for about 4 of them.
I would get a crazy amount of creative and fun ideas flowing through my mind really fast, I would write them all down and that was usually it. I would still be excited, but rarely would I follow through with all my wonderful ideas I had. To be completely honest here, I was scared. Scared of what people would think, scared of my product, scared it wouldn't work, scared I couldn't handle it, scared of screwing up.
There you have it, I've admitted my problem. That's supposed to be the first step, right? Now it's time for an action plan and then to take actual action. Not idealized action.
To go one step further, I'll tell you one of my fears that holds me back: I'm scared of working with strangers. I'm scared I won't be good enough. Then I go back and forth in my mind with the catch 22, I need to work to get experience, but I need experience to work. I would play around with how to get past the hump {which was usually 90% fear of working with strangers} and then I would slowly change my focus to something else as it slipped to the back burner. That pretty much sums up my experience with starting my photography business. It was that or some other excuse.
The fitness quote, "You need to be stronger than your strongest excuse." works well in this setting. I've been passionate about photography for 6 years and I've been passionate about starting a photo business for about 4 of them.
I think it's time to quit being scared and start doing something.