I genuinely feel that your biggest challenge right now, as you are starting on your journey, is to BELIEVE in yourself.
I have plenty ideas. For me, it’s not so much about a lack of ideas on what I could do. You probably have plenty ideas on what you could do as well. The hardest thing is to believe that living on your own terms and working on your own ideas is even remotely possible.
As a child, you believe anything is possible
There are millions of blog posts, courses, self-help books that tell you that you can become anyone you want to be. Hell, when you were a child, your parents used to tell you that every day.
At one time, I wanted to be a soldier, an archaeologist, an Egyptologist, Indiana Jones (see the adventure theme here) and no one told me that I couldn’t. Because, why would they? My whole life was still open to me. Almost limitless in potential.
… and then you grow up
But then you grow up, and you get caught up in all the adult responsibilities. You get lost in rumination – overthinking everything. We keep trying to take into account all the things that in reality are beyond our control. Keeping those proverbial “balls up in the air”. And you just forget to believe. You get stuck working that nine to five and don’t even stop to think if this is the life you dreamed of. You forget about your own unlimited potential.
But I want so much more out of life than just a nine to five.
Empower yourself, start believing … again
So, a while back, I decided I was going to start believing in myself and that I could do it. I can start a life on my own terms. So can you. I can start my own business. So can you. I can allow myself to explore the possibilities. Empower myself. So. Can. You.
Woohoo, big epiphany moment (although the moment itself wasn’t so pretty.. you know.. the ugly cry). But then it becomes time for you to do it. You falter. What if… it doesn’t work out? … if I suck at it?
What if?! I suck?
You start to question every single idea you thought up. It doesn’t matter if, between all of the bad ones, there was one really good one. You doubt every single one.
Should I kinda maybe write a book? Is it okay? Will someone please give me permission to do that. Hmmm, I don’t know? No one might read it, or someone might, and they’d call it crap. Should I travel to [insert destination]? Or something else entirely? Start my own business? Yes? No? Or maybe I should just stop trying altogether.
Should I do this or that? What would be better? Not doing it?
Whoa. Stop right there. Thank you very much.
If I get into this mood, there are a few tips that help me out:
- The realisation that no one is going to give you permission to do anything. In the end, you need to take the responsibility of living your life on your terms. They are Your Terms after all.
- The first thing you’re going to put out there is not going to be perfect. It’s probably going to suck. However, as you go on, you’ll continue to tweak and improve. Ash from the Middle Finger Project.
- The only risk in life is not to take the risk; not taking risks is the biggest gamble of them all. Marisa Peer – Ultimate Confidence.
- You are never really ready, so why not start now. (many sources: also check out my post on Why I blog)
The question then changes from “What if I do it?” to:
What if I DON’T?!
Seriously, what if you don’t? Contemplate that for a change.
Have faith. BELIEVE in yourself.