One important thing I’ve learned from Seth Godin is this. With any project I’m working on, it’s crucial to answer the question, “What’s the hard thing?” What’s the most difficult thing, the most tedious, the most uncomfortable for me to do? Also, what is the thing that everything hinges on, the most critical component of the process that will ultimately create success or failure?
Too often, those two answers are the same.
What I don’t want to do, what feels most scary, is the exact thing that must be done for success.
When I first started in sales, the scary thing was the telephone. I couldn’t have imagined it would be so hard to pick up the phone, dial the number, and talk to someone who might reject me. I came up with all sorts of little projects and research that should be done before I actually made the call. In other words, the critical thing was to do it, and because I didn’t want to, everything else I did instead was just an excuse, a way to run away and delay, delay, delay.
Over the course of thousands of phone calls, I’m more comfortable now with making that call. But there are other things now.
I’ve been just about to launch a business now for five months. It feel like it’s just days away… For five months. I’ve done a lot of great research, learned a lot of great tips, and I’m sure, avoided a few mistakes that I would have made had I started sooner.
But I haven’t earned a penny yet.
It’s a business, right? Maybe it’s supposed to make some money.
All sorts of excuses come to mind about why I didn’t jump into the water sooner. They are all “good” reasons to delay the launch.
But they’re just excuses, really.
So what’s the hard thing? The hard thing is committing. Shouting loud and clear to everyone, “I’m open for business. This is me. Judge me however you want, but I’ve done it and I’m committed.”
Am I ashamed of what I’m going to do? Certainly not. It’s a needed service at a fair price. It will benefit my customers.
But it still feels so hard. Which probably means its the most important.
Even now, I want to end this blog without officially declaring whether I will jump or not. I almost hit “publish” without doing the one thing I’m saying I need to do.
OK. I’ll say it. I’m open for business. The line has been crossed today. Come what may.
Here’s a good blog post from Seth for you: http://sethgodin.typepad.com/seths_blog/2014/04/the-right-moment.html
What is the hard thing in your life? Is it the thing you most dread? Will you do it anyway?
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