Taking the Plunge

When I graduated from college I felt like I had the rest of my life planned out.  I would be a music teacher until I had kids, be a stay-at-home mom for several years, and then go back and teach once the kids were in school.  At the time I didn't allow myself to think much beyond either of those jobs because I knew I was capable of doing both, and I was happy with that.  Plus, who was I kidding?  I didn't go to 4 1/2 years of college for nothing!

After we had our first child it was then that I realized I had a desire to do different with my life. The thought of being my own boss while raising my kids became more and more appealing to me.  Neither one of my parents ever worked outside the home and I could see the rewards of the countless hours and years of hard work to make their ranch/farm all that it has become.  The idea of that was exciting to me, which got me to thinking...

What in the world could I do to be my own boss?  Sell Mary Kay?  Start my own scrapbooking business?  Believe it or not, I tried both ideas, and needless to say, neither one worked out.  I like to call those experiences stepping stones, not failures, because looking back that really is all that they were.  Even though they didn't lead me to immediate success I knew that I was on the right track.  Being my own boss was still my goal.

It was actually 6-12 months later that I made my first block set (that looks VERY different to what I sell now) and then got my first sale on eBay.  Of course there are many other stories that got me to where I am now (3 1/2 years later), but the purpose of this post is to encourage you to take your first step and be fearless in what you are trying to accomplish!

Who knows if I will continue to grow my business for the rest of my life.  It is hard to say where life will lead me.  I may never go back and teach, and that is okay.  Those 4 1/2 years of college were just another important stepping stone to help with my success. Being the owner of Letter Block Shop is what makes me happy right now and that is all that really matters.  Don't overwhelm yourself by feeling like you have to live out this single goal forever.  We are focusing on a goal that is going to fill your heart's desire right now.  Who knows what kind of doors that will open for your future! 

In order to make "taking the plunge" a better experience, try the following:

1) Surround yourself with people that support your goal.  You are who you hang around, so make sure these people are positive!

 

2) Follow their lead. Find people that have had success in what you are trying to accomplish. These people can help get you through the hard times and give you tips on how to succeed.

3) Take baby steps. Don't set yourself up to want to quit by having unrealistic goals.  Start as small as you can and get excited with every step!  If one step doesn't work, try a different one in another direction!

4) Don't give up.  This will be an easy one to try and break.  If you can keep going back to the first 3 steps then giving up should not be an option.

What are you waiting for?  Make a list of people who are going to support you and tackle your first baby step today.  Remember the desire that is in your heart and GO FOR IT!

Good luck!

Lara