Let me be the first to say that starting something new- no matter how passionate you are- is incredibly daunting to say the least. And if you are anything like me you have a ton of fear. Not just the fear of failure, but the fear of letting others down. Fear of taking on something new when in fact you may not be ready, and worrying about all of the unknowns ahead of you. I have been there and I know it well. But my hope is that today's post calms a bit of your fear, and moves you closer to that new beginning. "Time to Start" means just that, so let's get to it...
I know first hand that the quote above is easier said than done, but here's the good news- I am in the thick of it as we speak. Taking on a blog and speaking to the public via social media is all brand new to me. I never had to do that when I was a buyer or merchant- never. I was analyzing sales, presenting product, and creating strategy decks. So taking on this dream of mine is incredibly challenging to say the least, but I am learning. I am learning, growing, and if nothing else gaining knowledge along the way. And that’s what I want you to take away from this- especially if you are debating about whether or not to dive into something new.
When I started writing via Facebook in October there was no website, no social media, and my photography/ graphics were a bit all over the place. I was given a ton of constructive criticism by individuals I very much admire, and thought about quitting almost on a daily basis. Not because I didn’t love talking about retail or my end goal had changed- but because it was HARD. It was hard to feel so sure of myself in one aspect (consulting) yet so unsure of myself in another (blogging). But instead of shutting down I kept going. And even though my followers and subscribers aren’t where I dreamed they would be by now, improvements have been made and I am moving forward. It's a constant work-in-progress. But you begin to embrace that and realize it will always be that way. It's about becoming better- and each new task or lesson learned helps you get there, I promise.
So whatever new project, role, career, or dream you are thinking about- know that the timing will never be perfect. None of us are ever 100% ready to take on the unknown, but getting started makes all the difference. It’s time to make some mistakes, gain some insight, follow that passion of yours, and become stronger for it. Here's to getting started and becoming great along the way...
