Sounds pretty harsh, right? Well sometimes that level of "tough love" is so very necessary. I am a repeat offender of overthinking and talking myself out of numerous ideas and opportunities. I went back and forth for months (actually over a year) on whether or not I should launch my blog. How would it be received? Would people even visit my site? What will people think of my posts? The list goes on. So many hypothetical questions flooded my mind and I allowed those thoughts to overpower me and truly get the best of me.
I have a major vision for my site and trust me when I say that this is just the beginning, but that very vision of perfection is what made me continue to put my blog on the back burner. I had convinced myself that I needed EVERY SINGLE ASPECT of my vision to be complete before I pulled the trigger and hit "Publish This Site". Have you ever been there? Have you ever wanted to accomplish something or try something new, but fear, doubt, and all of the emotions in between stopped you from moving forward?
Fortunately for me, I have several accountability partners. One thing that I love (and hate) about telling others about my goals/plans, is that it creates an opportunity for people to hold me accountable, whether intentional or not. Questions on the status of my site or why it hadn’t launched yet made me regret ever mentioning the idea to anyone but myself. And in the same sense, it made me appreciative because those check-in questions and my inability to provide a valid response are what gave me the push that I needed to simply get it done. “I don’t have a logo. I don’t have the money to pay someone to build my site.” You name it and I had an excuse for every reason that I couldn’t simply commit to putting the work in to do something that’s been on my heart and my mind for nearly two years.
Often, we birth these amazing ideas or draft these innovative business plans and fail to put the action into bringing them to fruition. We watch everyone around us taking that leap of faith or living out their dreams and think to ourselves, “Man, I wish I could do that.” Well, you can. But in order to do so, you’re going to have get out of your own head; drop the excuses; and focus on the reasons as to WHY you should launch that podcast; WHY you should finally publish that book; or WHY you should act on whatever other desire is being held captive in your heart that is dying to get out. While I am typing this for you, I am reading this for me. I am so grateful to have gained the courage to let go of my need for everything to be “just right” and simply just do. We will spend our entire lives waiting on that “perfect” moment that may never, ever come. And when all is said and done in my life, I never want to look back and regret all the risks/chances that I never took. I believe that in my whole heart of hearts that I was placed in this world to inspire others. Whether through my testimonies; through my life experiences; or even something as simple as my ability to smile through some of life’s most difficult challenges. How dare I sit on this gift to be a light to others in this world? How dare I not act upon the God-given gifts and talents that make me unique? You were placed on this earth for a reason and it’s up to you to decide whether fear will hold you back from fulfilling your purpose or if you will channel that fear into motivation to achieve all the greatness that you are destined for.
For those of you currently struggling with fear or doubt in yourself, your thoughts, or your capabilities,
I will leave you with this quote:
“There is freedom waiting for you, On the breezes of the sky, And you ask "What if I fall?" Oh but my darling, What if you fly?” ― Erin Hanson
Don't be afraid to fall. Don't be afraid to fly.