You Only Live Once, Why Not Risk Doing What You Want
Read more about: Business Blogging
|
Stumble it! |
Delicious | 
Kirtsy | 
Digg
13
Comments
Are you doing what you want with your life?
I know it’s a big question. And I know it’s a question that you can break down into categories.
However, for just these next few moments, don’t think about the parts of your life that you can answer yes about. Nor, don’t consider that you’re sort of doing what you want with your life or that you’re close. For the next few moments just answer the question - honestly - yes or no. Don’t qualifiy, justify or clarify it at all - just yes or no.
For me, personally, the answer is no. May sound odd since I have pretty rich life. But I’m not doing exactly what I want with my life. I’m successfully self-employed, with a mountian of business opportunities in front of me that should keep us very comfortable in our crazy economy. I’ve been blessed with three phenomenal children, each who have their own way of turning my rainy days into sunny ones. And my wife… beautiful - I love the way her eyes soften when she smiles, loving, articulate, intelligent, amazing cook, and an incredible mom. Wouldn’t ask for anything different in my family.
Yet there’s things I’m not settled on in my life. For instance, neither my wife nor I are even remotely interested in living in Michigan any longer. We want to raise our kids in the outdoors, close to mountains, streams, forests and the ocean. We both love the outdoors and want it to be our kid’s playground. So we’re looking for the right place to settle down. Seems like a small thing, but it’s pretty important to us.
My business is another story. We could live a comfortable life for years to come with doing what I’m doing right now - consulting and coaching small business owners on how to use the web to develop and grow their business. But I’m not fully tapping my potential. There’s so much more that I want to do - and can do - with my business. But it means changing things. It means getting out of my comfort zone and trying something new. It means being willing to take a risk.
By risk, I don’t mean destory my business so I can go after some new endeavor. That’s not risk - that’s stupidity. The risk I’m talking about isn’t about putting your life, your lifestyle or your family in danger. Rather, I’m talking about the risk that puts your comforts in danger. It’s your comforts that keep you where you are. And while they’re not bad or good, they are what keeps you from growing your business (and your life) into what you really want.
Look at what Wendy’s done in the past year. First, eMoms took on me - which is risky enough. But Wendy didn’t stop there. She created channels of bloggers to write on different topics under eMoms. This was a huge risk for her in a number of ways - but it worked. And now she’s gone from being a single blogger with periodic guest posters to being a blog network.
But Wendy didn’t stop there. She soon realized that eMoms at Home just didn’t cover all her site was about any longer. So she took an even larger risk - she changed the name of her site, her URL and her brand. And born was Sparkplugging.
Now I’m fortunate to know Wendy well. She’s a visionary. But none of these changes came without her feeling like she was risking all her safety and hard work against possible ruin. Really, she was doing what we all do - making the risk bigger than it is. And because Wendy is who she is and has done the work she’s done internally, she could recognize that fact and not let it stop her.
What’s happening is Sparkplugging is quickly gaining on, and will sometime soon pass, the success of eMoms. But none of this would have been possible without her taking risks - risks with her inner self - with her emotions and her beliefs.
So where is your business along the cliffs of risk? What beliefs are holding you back from developing the business, and the life, you really want? What risks do you need to take?
Sparkplugging Founder Wendy Piersall is dang passionate about helping people start & grow a business while maintaining life balance (somehow).
Dawud Miracle has one focus: to help you get it. The it? How your website, and blog, can change the way you do business. You can find out more at 
Teresa Morrow manages online book publicity and event promotion for authors, speakers and writers with her company 
Dawud, your posts are always very insightful. I went on a 4 day media fast last week, and it was wonderful. It gave me renewed perspective on my goals and made me realize that while right now I’m happy, I’m not doing exactly what I love - but that’s okay for right now.
I don’t have to freak out because I know that I can make goals to get there in measured increments. It’s not wild, go for gusto risk, but I’m okay with that right now.
I saw how much pressure Wendy went through to get to where she’s at now and I admire how she involved her community in what she was doing. It was pretty amazing. I look forward to the coming years. Thanks, guys!
Oh, BTW, I gave this post a Stumble Review.
cory huffs last blog post..Take Responsibility for Your Actions
Dawud-
It is difficult to remember that the OK life isn’t what we strive for. Making the decision to do whatever it takes to go from a bad situation to a good one is easy. But the next step of going from what is acceptable (good) to what you really want (excellence) is the hardest thing you can do in the world. That is why there are so few people who live their dreams.
The personal growth you have to go through to make the leap from comfort to excellence is painful.
I am fighting the OK battle right now. I know the check will clear in the current situation but it isn’t what I want to do/be or say this is who I am 6 months from now.
Thanks for the wake up call!
-Bob
I also Stumbled it
I would have to say “no” - but I’m working on it! and this site and blog are helping.
Ann at One Bag Nations last blog post..“You Have to be Really Organized”
The thing about taking these sort of risks is that they get somewhat easier the more you try them. Sure, you still need to do your homework and such, but you become somewhat less hesitant to take the next risk even when the previous one didn’t work so well. You realize that it wasn’t the end of the world. Maybe it was a lousy idea, whatever. But you realize that you still got food on the table and wine (great wine) in your glass.
Steves last blog post..Hideous wedding dresses
Dawud-
I’d like to say “yes”, but as you said I only achieved that by taking risks, making changes in my life. And yes I made lots of mistakes but I learned much more from my mistakes than from success. I’m proud of the mistakes I made, and would never want to change a thing. Ultimately, I gained MUCH more both emotionally and financially. Having said that, I’m not the kind of person who would risk everything just to start or invest in a new business. When I’m considering the options, I always look at the worst thing that can happen and make my decision based on whether or not I can cope with that.
Irene Bombergs last blog post..FBW announces series of exclusive interviews with fashion designers
What a powerful article Dawud. I am not (yet) doing what I want to be doing, but I am taking baby steps every day to get me closer to my passion.
Thanks for the reminder to face the fear and do it anyway. Playing it safe is no way to live.
Phil Gerbyshaks last blog post..Slacker Manager Listed as Top Management/Leadership Blog: Management Lesson Inside
@ Bob Firestone:
Wow, Bob, you just articulated in two sentences something I’ve had a hard time explaining for years.
I love that. It’s so simple, and so incredibly true!
@ Steve:
Steve, you’re right and it fits well with what Irene said - the more mistakes you make, the easier it is to take risks in the future. But that’s only because you’ve been able to either clean up your messes in the past, or you’ve learned enough from your experiences that you are confident you will be able to handle whatever that risk puts in front of you.
That being said, sometimes you just never know what is going to appear in front of you - but because you had the courage to take the risk, you somehow find the courage to deal with the consequences.
The more I work to build businesses, the more I believe that the only traits that breed success are patience, courage, and discipline. Lots of people are smart and talented. Not everyone can push through rough times to get to the ‘other side’!
For me, risk is about being willing to fail; to make mistakes; to not have things go the way I want them all the time. You do it enough and the lessons from failure become more important than the successes.
Now I’m not saying success is bad or worthless. What I am saying is that if we look at our lives honestly, it’s often been through failure - through risk - first that we’ve found our successes. Just think of how much risk it is to be married. And yet, without the risk, the lessons and even the failures, when do we get to love like we can love a spouse?
Hmmmm? You have me thinking. I don’t want to live in Michigan either. Except I live where there is lot of water, hills and it’s beautiful. I just can’t stand the economy, how every other house is for sale and nobody has money. Plus the snow 9 months out of the year is enough to make anyone go bonkers! LOL!
The word risk keeps bouncing around in my head. It’s hard to take risks but I think I’ve done this. A complete career switch from teaching to the web. That’s hard and risky but am I taking everything to the next level and where I can really be? Probably not. That would mean I’d have to get out of my comfort zone, like you. Hard to believe I’m comfortable in a whole new role but it’s true. We get settled fast and then stay.
Thanks for the nudge.
Green & Clean Moms last blog post..In swoops ZRecs to save the day!
Very good post.Actually, I am doing what I want to do right now.Having an online business is very rewarding but it takes a lot of work as well.I can not imagine throwing my life away at a dead end 9 to 5 job.
[Stumbled-Dugg-Mixxed]
Tom Lindstroms last blog post..Software Review: Web2Submitter
i am so wonderfully fascinated by those of you - younger than I, and at earlier stages in your careers and family lives making decisions that are about quality of life
I love that as couples and families together you are fostering that kindof thinking - that future stuff and that your work while it pays the bills is also about fulfilling more than just a job
me, i have always dreampt of living closer to nature- with like minded, respectful earth centric folks. Based on circumstances and choice I landed in a lovely community that had the best schools for my kids. 15 yrs later and a year away from my daughter leaving HS, the possibility of getting closer to my dream is a real reality.
It totally frightens me! The risk though and the challenge is intoxicating - sortof that knowing in your gut that says - uh huh - I’m on the right track!
Great post!!
Mother Earths last blog post..The Andropausal Male
Thats a very essential issues. I went through the period of getting rid of corporate work trauma - too much politics, not enough interesting work :(. It has been 12 months, which I have used for working from home, doing things I love, taking care of my body and my soul, expanding my knowledge in different new subjects. One of them was starting blogging and discovering totally new opportunities
Greetings,
Ewa
ewas last blog post..Love hurts