“Success occurs when opportunity meets preparation” – Zig Ziglar
If you know me, you know I don’t operate well under ‘last minute’ circumstances, especially with something I’ve never done before. Normally I prefer to start with a generous deadline that includes detailed checklists and enough time allotted to procrastinate. Currently, I’m working on deadlines for some arts and crafts festivals for the fall…and I still don’t think I have enough time. I was recently invited to the Northeast Philly Beer Festival, I got the message on Tuesday and it was taking place that Saturday. Since it was a mere 4 days away, my first instinct was to reply: “Nope, I can’t do it, not enough time, I’m not ready for my first event”.
But I kept an open mind, gave it some consideration. How could I hastily pass something like this up? This is an opportunity to get my product out there and trust that my hard work is paying off. It took me a year to get to this point: to feel comfortable enough to even consider setting up a table. I couldn’t say ‘no’ just because it didn’t fit my timeline. I couldn’t say ‘no’ because I’m not prepared to be thrown out of my comfort zone; I thought I had months until I had to deal with this anxiety, not days. Saying ‘no’ would be the easy answer, the cop out. But how could I set a positive tone for running a business if I’m not willing to lose some sleep and do what needs to be done? If it can be done, then the answer can be that simple: you just suck it up and do it.
That week didn’t allow time for me to be nervous or worry. That was a good thing since I have a habit of over thinking these situations; what if it’s a huge failure and bruises my ego…or what if it’s a huge success and I quit my job that Monday, breaking the chains of a 9 to 5. At this moment, my ego is intact but I’m currently writing this blog on my lunch break, at my day job.
That’s not to say that my first event wasn’t an accomplishment, in my books it was. This was exactly what I needed; it gave me a push, increased my confidence and exposed my flaws. It gave me the perfect reason to blog, which is something I’ve been meaning to do for a year. Those few days had shown me just how much I’ve grown, how far I’ve come. It set into motion the next chapter for my business, one I’m excited to dig into and explore.
Until next time…cheers!