For months now I’ve been struggling with what to do for a business. I mean a real business…not the monkey business I’ve been doing without strategy or marketing or cultivating clients or accounting or anything like that.
Then today I realized I haven’t been struggling with what to do for a business. I’ve been struggling against what to do for a business. I know what to do, I’m just scared to do it. And my Inner Me is fighting against the change and risks inherent to doing it. A little woowoo, but there ya go.
Not Good Enough
But this is better than a few years ago when I wanted to do it and believed I:
- Didn’t know enough to do it,
- Didn’t have the right tools to do it,
- Didn’t have the right skills to do it, and
- Couldn’t afford the time or money it would take to do it.
Simply, I didn’t believe I was good enough for what I wanted to do.
Sidenote: I was wrong about that, by the way. When it’s time to start, whoever we are and whatever we have on hand is enough. Think: MacGyver. (And thank you for the reminder, Cath!)
So believing (wrongly) I needed a ton of stuff I didn’t have, I started collecting articles, subscriptions, books, domain names, degrees, and whatnot…lots and lots of whatnot. And I had NO idea how much I’d accumulated until I took inventory today.
Yup, inventory
I so love my Magna Cartas that I made more lists. This time I took stock of what I have on hand to build a business with, willing to be surprised with the answer. What was on the lists was not surprising…what knocked my socks off was how much stuff I’ve got to work with:
I only listed things I like and I marked the stuff I really like. And I forgot to add my certs: Microsoft Office Instructor and Master’s in Instructional Design for Online Learning, and the Master’s degree that’s on hold for the mo’. I also left off my favorite vendors, some apps, and some equipment (printers, etc.). And also resumé-type hard- and soft-skill stuff. So as long as those lists are, there’s more.
Wow.
Looking over my Whattayas, my experiences have prepared me for it (Yes!). I have super-specific formal education tailored to it, some terrific books, the best tools, and the necessary skills…and a few skills that are irrelevant but handy (Yes!). I also have cash to cover the bills for a month or two, a clear calendar, and a husband who thinks it’s a great idea (Hell, Yes!).
Roll up all those Yeses and you get a big ball of GO!
Right?
Err…did I mention that I’m scared to do it?
And have you noticed there can be 2,546 Yeses push-pulling you forward, but it only takes one or two fears to hold you back?
But fears are so Thursday. Today is about taking inventory—
Whattaya know? Whattaya have? Whattaya want?
·
Whatever it is you want to do, you probably have plenty work with. And however much you have on hand, it’s enough to get started. If you’re not sure what you have (and even if you think you’re sure): take inventory…and be willing to be surprised.
When we know what we have, we draw more lines in the sand.
And we can’t unknow it. We can’t undraw them, either.
So make your lists, k?
·
See you Thursday,
Photo credit: calculator by ansik
{ 3 trackbacks }