Have you heard the saying, “a good plan right now is better than a perfect plan tomorrow?”
Sometimes the absolute best thing you can do is to act — even with incomplete or irrational information or void of any plan. Fear comes from not knowing everything and subsequently being afraid that your decisions may not be the best. Can you hear a critic telling you, “you’re an asshole” for being an asshole? Can you feel the grinding teeth, knowing that your critic is probably right? If only you had known.
We’re conditioned to respond this way. You’d rather not do the doing than risk hearing even 20 seconds of somebody’s bullshit.
You know how much it sucks to hit “publish” on a blog? There it goes… 1000 people are now feasting on your brain. You know how much it sucks to launch an op when you know that the information you’ve just received is wrong? You know how much it sucks to do stand-up comedy in New York City as an amateur? I’d rather get in a fist fight with a UFC fighter than get heckled at 0130 in some shit spot off Flushing Ave. You know how much it sucks to start a business, start a band, produce a film, start a family? The stats are telling you to quit — the odds are you will fail in your first 2 years.
I rented a 4′ x 6′ space in a metal shop in Brooklyn today. Everybody there makes his living welding and working metal all day, every day — something I’ve wanted to learn for over 20 years. I know about .3% of what they do. I had to convince the shop manager to let me in, and I am intimidated as shit. This is either going to work out great or become another line in the Great Book of Failure.
{ 10 comments… read them below or add one }
Cool, TK. I’ve always had an interest in that too but never learned. Once they see you’re serious about it, you will no longer be intimidated. For the guy who really wants to learn, doors open.
Best of luck.
“Failure is the tuition you pay for success.” ~ Walter Brunell
You are NOT failing. I read your blog every day for information, news, and best of all, inspiration. It is exhilarating to see the world through your eyes. If we could peer into each others’ minds, what wonders would we see? There is so much to treasure in people like ourselves; and to share it is hope for the future.
http://www.lindsaybks.com/bks11/rrshop/index.html
It will work b/c it matters to you. Best of luck.
Hey starting your own business is easy it’s just the making a profit that is difficult. Years ago after getting fired from a large oil company, which were the biggest group of assholes I have ever worked for. I floundered around for a year and then came up with what I thought was the greatest idea in the world. A year and a half later, at about the end of my savings and having my 2nd ex-wife really telling me I need to get another real job, the totally unexpected happened. The government just out of the blue ordered all of the big companies in the industry to offer a service exactly like what I had been trying to sell them!!! Finally I had customers queuing to buy.
Some times is just better to be lucky rather than be smart. Good luck with your new endeavor.
stick your chin out and go for it. my dad told me long ago- you can go to college and pay the tuition or go out into the world and get your ass kicked, but one way or the other you’re going to pay for your education. good luck. What I did was go buy a mig welder and a book. I burned up a lot of wire and gas. I wouldn’t call myself a welder but I made the rack for my truck, a welding table and numerous repairs. not pretty but done. If you are serious you’re better off where you are. at least there is someone there to help you along. most people to talk about what they do.
I saw a sign in the Marines once that said something about vacillating being a sign of poor leadership. I’ve known many people in positions of power who do that all the time. If you consider for a moment that a person should be the leader of him/herself, then it’s important to spend more time in action mode than doing nothing worrying about the reprocussions of the decisions you could make. Making mistakes is a big part of true leadership, or life and learning in general.
Congratulations on your COURAGEOUS act – honoring yourself and your family – by making the effort to do something YOU value (“something I’ve wanted to learn for over 20 years”) and believe in. Despite the insanity (irrationality) of it all.
Acting without a specific outcome or plan in mind gives this opportunity wings.
“This is either going to work out great or become another line in the Great Book of Failure”.
Oh really? Isn’t the sacred process of “finding out” valuable in and of itself? No matter what happens, this endeavor will “work out” (different from the idea of “work out great”). And in the end it might just be the greatest thing that you ever did!
The Great Book of Failure contains a record of all the ideas, insights, and opportunities that no one bothered to act on. It details the fears, excuses, and reasons why nothing ever happened. I’m not thinking that you will be writing anything about this adventure on those pages.
Yeah, it’s your own 4’ x 6” slice of HEAVEN. Some would call this an act of following your HEART. I call it an act of LOVE.
Acting without a specific outcome or plan in mind gives this opportunity wings.
That’s a great quote.
Great blog and a great post. I couldn’t agree more with your thoughts.