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Tiffany Monhollon is using Brazen Careerist to share ideas. Join now to become a member and start networking with Tiffany Monhollon and other professionals just like you. Learn more.
Here’s the thing: That guy over there already wrote the post you were thinking about. Someone applied for that job, registered that domain, reached out to that influencer, entered that contest, landed that client, invented that product, wrote that book.
Revelation
I have just realized that, for some reason, I am always having the same revelations.
About consistency. About discipline. About pushing past obstacles.
For a long time, that bothered me.
But finally, I am realizing that maybe, that’s because I keep letting the same thing stop me.
Quantitatively, I can tell this is true. For example, there are 90 unfinished posts in my drafts folder, deemed not good enough to publish. Qualitatively, I can tell it’s true from the way I feel when I sit down to blog. Fear, mostly, with a good dose of doubt. Even though I know that doesn’t make sense, objectively, since I write as a professional, for a living, and plenty of people read this blog. It also happens to be the truth.
Confession
My husband comes in to check on me, just like he has been doing every night the past few weeks. To see if I’ve finally posted. Or at least written something. This time, I tell him I’m doing okay. And finally, it’s the truth.
He says, “I’m excited about this one,” because I brainstormed the title for this post with him at lunch today. I say, well, I’m not sure it’s going to be as great as you are thinking. And he says, “Well, isn’t that the point of this post?” And then he gives me a kiss that says to me, “They won’t all be the best, but who cares. I’m still looking forward to it.”
He walks away, and I think about that.
Then, from the kitchen, he says, “One weird thing was that after lunch today, I was on StumbleUpon, and one of your posts came up randomly. The Lost one.”
And I don’t know why, but something about that was exactly what I needed in this moment to finally push past the dip.
People are reading. You are listening. Someone is sharing what I have to say.
Movement
So, this may not be the most eloquent thing I’ve ever written. It might not be the most strategic. But it’s something I need to tell myself, and maybe something you need to hear.
It’s never too late.
To write that post, to launch that site, to land that client, to develop that idea, to take that risk, to give that pitch, to write that book.
Or, maybe it’s always too late.
The trick is to stop worrying about that part and move anyway.
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The only way you're going to know for sure the timeliness of your idea is to execute it in one form or another. There's a very high likelihood your idea has already been thought of by someone else. The question then becomes whether it has been executed or executed effectively. Research it by checking it out on the Internet, library, talking about it to contacts and friends, etc. If it looks promising and the belief in the idea is still there, then proceed accordingly and with flexibility. Whatever the outcome the end result will be your own unique creation that you can call your own. Whether or not it's a success, you've learned something in the process.
This morning, getting ready for work, I was thinking about bottled water.
First of all, what a crazy product to sell, right? The majority of people who buy it have reliable water systems in place, and the water we can get for free is much cleaner than most of what we buy at a premium. So for one thing, why sell something people can get for free?
And the other thing is, there is a staggering number of brands that sell water, in one form or the other.
So, at some point, someone had to say, who cares that water is free? I'm going to sell it anyway. And later on, someone else had to say, hey, I'm going to sell water, too.
So what's important here is first innovation. But innovation doesn't have to stop once someone has tried it. Because another key thing here is relationship.
The reason different people can be successful selling the same thing is that they have different brands, and therefore different relationships with consumers.
When you think about it that way, it sort of puts things into perspective. Your unique voice, brand, and perspective, are what differentiate, innovate, and add value.
Tiffany, I've learned the hard way that the angst of worrying about whether or not something will "turn out" is far more painful than any regrets about how it does turn out, once I've done something - whether it's writing a blog post, a speech, or a tough email. Thanks for the great reminder.
@ Kathleen - I definitely agree, and it's funny, because even though I've gone through this time and time again and know the outcome will feel so much better than the fear, sometimes, I still have a hard time pushing forward.
But you know, I think it's also ok to keep learning the same things over and over. That's actually the way life works a lot of the time. We all keep learning the same lessons in new ways. :)
I think that you've really got two different issues wrapped into one here. Competitive woes and a variation of the "entrepreneurial roller coaster."
From a competitive standpoint, I look at this from a slightly different perspective. Rather than "everything being done before," I think it's more like.. The idea of a completely competitor free industry or field is a myth. There is already someone, if not multiple people, participating in every space. You just have to come to terms with the fact that your competition is out there. However, this is actually GOOD for you. It means there is already a market for people who are interested in the types of things you have to say or the products you have to sell. One of my favorite quotes is, "don't open a pizza shop in a town with no pizza shops." If there are no pizza shops, it means the people there don't eat pizza. The best thing to do is find a successful pizza shop and open up right next door. You see this all the time with other businesses. Coffee Bean is always right across the way from Starbucks, grocery stores always seem to be in close proximity to one another, fast food restaurants bundle together in food courts.
From an emotional standpoint, the "entrepreneurial roller coaster" is a documented phenomenon that you alternate between periods of rising unbridled enthusiasm, quick descent into crisis of meaning, and a recovery into informed optimism. The trick is to not crash and burn, and stay on the track when you hit crisis of meaning. As you noted, often times it's those little things like us getting noticed somewhere that validate our efforts that help us push through.
@ Brian - Great comment! I will have to look into the entrepreneurial roller coaster phenom you mentioned.
I think all this applies not just to business ownership, but to all types of things. Blogging, taking risks, innovating, personal and professional development, your job, your career, aspirations, on and on and on.
When you bring all that online, into a space that makes the world feel so small, there is no shortage of battles one must get through to convey meaning, to make progress, to add value and many of them are personal.
Thanks for sharing!
Great post, I constantly feel like I have to be completely original or there is no point to posting... which is why I don't post that often :) But no one is original (really). So you just have to put yourself out there, that's what's important.
One of the most important ways managers can work with Gen Y is by sharing their stories, and letting us learn from your accomplishments and struggles. By doing this, our managers can shape us to be excellent leaders. More...
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