What keeps you going?
Today a new and hopefully continued presence as mentor said this about the entrepreneurial path...
The first year is about figuring out what you are actually doing.
The second year is about learning to talk about it.
The third year is about learning to sell it...
As I arrive to about the one year point of deciding to start my own business aka figure out what the hell I'm going to do I wonder:
Did I really need to go through all that just to arrive to this point of somewhat clarity of how what I'm offering fits with what people want???
I create interactive experiences that grow empathy and understanding through art and story... Clear, right?
Hah, I'm leading a community arts and storytelling experience this weekend. As always, I'm in anicipation as I pre-plan... Equal part mix of excitement and joy and fear. Maybe 2 parts fear, for now. Wait, what the hell I'm I signing up for facilitating this Saturday?!?!!? I guess the uncertainty is part of this game.
Check out www.heartfulexperience.com to learn a bit more : )
In a very sweet follow-up email Ethan, the super sweet and supportive friend/mentor, said:
"You rock. Whatever slows you down, don’t take it personal. Get smarter. Think smaller. Vision bigger."
Beyond the words, it feels damn good to have the backing and support of someone I admire who has been in the entrepreneurial trenches and still is in ways I deeply admire.
I just started the entrepreneurial journey. Quite literally I quit my job last week.
I had a great job working with people I deeply cared about and admired but it wasn't enough. It's way to early for me to answer what keeps me going. I can tell you what got me started.
It basically comes down to reinforcing the confidence that says I can do it and disappointing the fear that tells me I can't.
Way to take the leap. And thanks for sharing. You want to bolster the voice that says you can do it... What's worth it for you? What are you working toward (as unclear as it may be now).
Heartful looks very interesting. How did you get started and what keeps you going?
I'm a programmer and for me, the biggest motivation is to build things that will actually help people. I'm in the Bay Area and most of the people I know spend their time working for money while trying to convince themselves every other day that their work helps anyone but their company.
This motivates me to try to do more. I think there is so much opportunity to build technology that disperses value instead of concentrating wealth. I'm just trying to figure out my place in all this.