Act In Spite of Your Fear
How many times have you had a good idea and felt strongly about making it a reality? Then you spent time ruminating on it and sharing the idea with everyone. Before you know it, you have convinced yourself of all the reasons why you shouldn’t do it. S0me of us have people in our lives who focus on why it was a terrible idea or why it was a great idea but for someone else. One of the life lessons I continue to learn is that we need to act even when we are afraid. You can either succeed or fail. Even in the failure, there is much to be learned from it. When you launch your initiative, do it whole-heartedly. If you are not fully invested in your own ideas and initiatives then why should anyone else be?
Here are 5 life lessons I have learned in this area:
1. Keep your ideas to yourself until you can speak from an informed place.
Always do the research so that you have an accurate understanding of the commitment and resources needed. That might mean following experts in the field to see what different paths they took. Sign up for a few master classes in that area and seek out conversations with those on a similar journey. The internet is full of information. Then make a list of all the resources you will need to get started from finances, equipment, target audience, content, and customers. You also need to consider how you will fit your new venture into your current lifestyle.
One of the reasons why you need to take the time to figure things out for yourself without the input of others is so that the foundation of what you are planning is built on your own ideas and desires. Whatever you do should be authentic to you. If you are too quick to involve others, you may lose sight of what you originally intended.
2. Seek the counsel of trusted persons who genuinely want you to succeed.
One of the lessons I learned rather quickly is that if you share your ideas with the wrong people, they could be dream killers. Rather than encouragement, they could fill your mind with doubts and discouragement. Not everyone in close proximity to you has your best interests at heart. To be fair, some of them may think they are giving you a reality-check or being helpful but really they are speaking from their own limited thinking and imagination. You want the counsel of those who have proven themselves to be in your corner at both the high and low points of your life. Anyone who is anxiety-inducing and focuses on the negatives should be avoided at all costs. All naysayers can find out your plans after you have launched.
When you choose the right people, then you can openly discuss the range of emotions and concerns that you have about making your idea a reality. You can trust that any constructive feedback given is to push you to excellence and not to hinder your progress. For me, my circle of influence is quick to pray me through my experiences. Sometimes I become so self-conscious that I need to have that constant support. My level of confidence throughout the experience will often ebb and flow. I have established a good feedback loop with my circle of influence. They know that I never hesitate to seek advice and that my process is slow and steady. There is an understanding that I am open to feedback but I am not obligated to follow through with it. In fact, those in my circle often have different perspectives on things. It is always helpful when there is consensus. Nevertheless, I make the final decisions about my project. That is as it should be.
3. Keep on pushing even when you are frustrated and feel like giving up.
When I realized that I would need to learn how to create my own graphics. I felt panic. I was overwhelmed with the options and the pressure to create something that was unique to me. I spent weeks doing tutorials and taking notes. My perfectionism made the process quite frustrating, as it is difficult to achieve perfection in the learning process. I often took mental breaks from everything associated with my website and social media and focused my energy elsewhere. I prayed about the process and spent my quiet time thinking about what I wanted to achieve and the things I wanted in my content. I remember that it was during those times that ideas would start flowing and I would be motivated to spend hours creating.
I remember when I published the first blog post. I was so nervous about what feedback I would get. I was complimented for the graphics I had created. Imagine that! Readers started to engage with me about the topic and sharing their own stories. It was my confirmation that the months I had invested in preparation was worth it. Does that mean that henceforth, it has been easy? Absolutely not. I have to push through the layers of self-doubt and fear of how the public will respond to my blog. But let me tell you: it is worth it if one person reads it and is inspired to be better.
4. Regularly remind yourself of why you chose this path in the first place.
It is easy for us to get caught in the doing or the feedback about our products that we lose sight of our original goals. For me, I was fixated on how many people were liking and commenting on my blog and social media posts. I was concerned that the numbers did not reflect the people actually reading and engaging with my work. According to the experts on how to be successful, my numbers were not good. One day after conversing with a follower from a different country, I realized that my original motivation was to engage with my followers and share impactful content with my readers and followers. I was doing exactly that but my mind was on numbers. After that experience, I try to remind myself as often as possible on my original motivation for doing this. It is important not to be sucked into the world of performing for likes rather than for the love of what you do.
5. Be thankful for where you are in the process.
No matter where you are in the journey, be thankful for the experience. I am thankful and often find myself giggling at how much I have learned over the last few months about technology and graphics. When I had my idea to start blogging years ago, I had no idea the amount of work that went into it. Being thankful keeps me present in the experience and helps me to enjoy the journey. It is important to develop good habits at the beginning of the journey so that you can easily rely on them in periods of success and failure.
When you find yourselves stuck or feeling regret because you had a wonderful idea and never acted on it: don't worry. It is never too late. Go do your research and get started!