Feel the Fear, and do it Anyway
I just got home from the Click Away conference where (for the first time ever) I got up on a stage and spoke to a ballroom full of people.
My speech was about the Three Things You Need to Know to Build a Six Figure Business - know what you do, know who your people are, and know how to communicate what you do to your people. All really good stuff that I believe in with all my heart!
I’m happy to say that the talk was well received. And I’ve since heard from people that were moved and inspired by it.
But in the days following the conference I realized that I left something out, something I didn’t even know I was leaving out until I got home.
And that is what I want to share it with you now.
For some reason my husband and I own two copies of a book called “Feel the Fear and Do It Anyway”. The funny thing is, neither one of us have ever actually read it. Despite that fact, “feel the fear and do it anyway” has become sort of a mantra in our house. When things are hard. When a choice feels risky. When we are at a crossroads, we look at each other and say those words.
When I started my business -way back in 2000- I remember being terrified. Could I really do it? What if I failed? What if people hated my photos?
The fear and the self doubt were overwhelming sometimes. But you know what? I felt the fear and did it anyway!
I’ve since learned that the fear that comes with doing something new is a good thing. It keeps us on our toes. Makes us work harder, push ourselves a little bit more.
I think being in business is a lot like being in therapy… for it to work, you need to be vulnerable. You need to take risks. You need to be willing to put yourself out there. You need to allow yourself to be scared.
Those are all things I’ve felt in my journey as a photographer. But if I’m being honest, I haven’t felt them for a very long time. Until last Saturday that is. Getting up on that stage at Click Away brought them all back.
There I was again….
Can I really do this?
What if I fail?
Who the hell do I think I am?
But you know what? I did it. It scared me, but I did it. I felt the fear and did it anyway. And it was amazing!
So that is what I want to share…
If you are going to build a business that you love. One that is both emotionally and financially fulfilling, yes, you need to know what you do, you need to know who your people are, and you need to know how to communicate what you do to your people. All of those things are important.
But you also need to let yourself be scared. It’s okay. Feel the fear, and then push past it. Feel the fear, and do it anyway. It will be worth it in the end. I promise.
