Sometimes inspiration comes from the unlikeliest of places. Like, a "some assembly required" piece of furniture. I recently quit my corporate job to take my side gig full time. While doing a business "on the side" comes with fun perks - a project, extra income, something fun to talk about at parties, launching yourself fully into entrepreneurship takes it to a whole new level. Starting with the paralyzing realization of "I'm starting a company? From scratch? How the hell am I
qualified to do that?" Some thoughts came to me this week as I was procrastinating the actual work I needed to do for my business by building a "some assembly required" bookshelf. It seemed like a great way to be productive without actually doing what I needed to do (a whole other blog post!). I started with what seemed like 987 pieces and very unclear instructions. I had great intentions for this "procrastination project" but immediately upon opening the box my heart sank. As I unwrapped each additional piece, I thought, "Maybe I'll just leave this for the boyfriend to tackle." Kind of echoes the thoughts that come up occasionally of "maybe I should just work for a company that someone else already figured out." For some reason - probably to keep me from doing the administrative tasks I really do not enjoy doing - I pushed on. I thought, "Eh, I will just get it started and he can finish it." But as I progressed, I started to see the final picture come together and was inspired to persevere and see the project through to the end. As is typical for a yogi, I began to see some things I already knew in my heart crystallize in front of my eyes as I realized the bookshelf project was a reflection of my fears around my business. Here are some of the nuggets I took away from the experience: 1. Don't quit before you start! I took one look at what seemed an insurmountable task and almost gave up without trying. How many people have great ideas, but lack the confidence to execute - imagine all the awesome things we have in this world, what if the person who originally came up with the idea was too scared to try? The toaster, for instance! Or wifi! (#necessities) So many times I hear people say "Why didn't I think of that?" when some simple (yet clever) invention like the selfie stick takes the internet by storm. But even worse are the ones who DID think of that, and never did anything about it. 2. Always look for another perspective. Part of why I was intimidated by this piece was the layout. I didn't understand how the parts would line up until I saw the holes from underneath and it all made sense. Had I just looked at the shelving from the top down, I would never have seen how easy it was to get all the parts in the right place. The same applies in business - I have recently gotten some really great insight from people that have a different perspective of my business than me. Do whatever it takes to see clearly and objectively, even if that means using someone else's eyes. 3. Instructions are helpful, but not always end all, be all. Throughout life, you'll receive instructions or guidance, but ultimately you must trust yourself to be able to problem solve. That's not to say "my way is better" in every case - obviously someone's tried and failed before you and it helps to have knowledge from trailblazers past. But if your intuition differs from the guidebook, follow it! When I first started out I was googling "how to write a business plan" instead of actually doing the business. The instructions on how to plan for a business were helpful, sure - but it wasn't until I was knee deep in the business that I knew what all to incorporate into the "plan" I was busy writing. 4. Tackle SOMETHING. When I decided to make a move, and assemble one part, that success gave me the will to keep at it. If you think "starting a business" is too scary, start with "write down some ideas about a problem you'd like to solve" - sometimes taking the smallest step in the right direction will propel you to tackle the whole bookcase before you know it! I had NO idea in June of 2014 when I taught a yoga class in my office that I would be launching a business doing just that 18 mos later. Starting with the basics - just teaching a class here and there and having conversations about corporate wellness- began a snowball effect that kept me going until I realized I was really passionate about this opportunity and gave me the will to see it through to the next chapter. 5. Congratulate yourself. If you think for one second I didn't do a touchdown dance when that last bolt was secured, you don't know me at all! Every accomplishment, no matter how small, should be celebrated. Positivity breeds positivity, and by giving yourself credit for taking the initiative and succeeding, you're only giving yourself confidence to tackle the next goal. Every time I book a new client, I give myself a mental high five. It's always nice to have validation even if the successes are small at first. With enough new clients (and mental high fives!) I will look back at the business I built with the same sense of accomplishment as the bookcase I put together! Neither were something I really thought I could do (and both of them came from a place of not wanting to do something else!). All said and done, everyone can relate to a moment of taking on a DIY project and thinking halfway through that it was a mistake (or is that just me??) - but more often than not the sense of accomplishment that comes upon the project's completion truly makes the sweat and tears worth it. You are capable of more than you think. In business and in life, never underestimate the "Y" in DIY.
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AuthorShanna Lee is the Founder and Principal Instructor for CubeFit Yoga. She likes dogs, yoga, food and music, not necessarily in that order. Archives
March 2017
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