building a business around your passions is scary. i know.
when i first started out six years ago, i was convinced i was going to be a nationally-known interior designer; designing spaces in the most beautiful homes. but, as it turns out, as much as i love designing spaces i have complete control over, working with clients that insist upon keeping their 1990s recliner wasn't my cup of tea.
during that time, i realized that what i really enjoyed was building the business -- researching best practices, honing my marketing & message, learning to blog effectively, designing my website, and reading business books.
pursuing my dream of being an interior designer opened the door to my true gift and passion -- offering business & life advice for designing a lifestyle of purpose, passion and meaning :-)
but, giving yourself permission to go after your dream isn't easy. i get that.
it's terrifying to put yourself out there, throw caution to the wind, and commit yourself to building something from the ground up.
but, the truth is, the risks are completely outweighed by the regrets you'll have if you don't give it a go. if you never give yourself a chance to experience the utter joy (and terror!) of unabashedly claiming your unique spot in the world, you'll likely one day look back and wish that you had.
i never want you to regret any decision -- business, personal or otherwise -- and that's precisely why i'm sharing 4 reasons why you'll never regret pursuing your dreams.
because, once you realize you that you'll never regret it, you'll free yourself from so much of the stress and worry that was previously holding you back. and then, you can redirect that energy in a positive way to propel you forward toward your dreams even faster than before!
#1 it may just work out!
if someone could look into a crystal ball and tell you that 12, 18 or 24 months from now you will be doing what you love and making a living at it, would you still feel as uncertain as you do now? of course not!
we all know that there's no such guarantee, but one thing is for sure, if you work at something consistently with passion, dedication and heart, it's likely to bring about something amazing. so, instead of spending your time in worry-land, hope aboard the positivity train and keep chugging along. and before you know it, that dream of yours will be a fully recognized reality.
#2 you'll learn so much
even if things don't pan out exactly as you planned, you'll learn so much in the process. take me for example, i graduated college thinking i wanted to design homes -- and now 6 years later i'm helping people design their dream careers and lifestyles. if i didn't give myself permission from the get-go to explore my passions, i wouldn't have found my true calling and be able to do the work i do today.
#3 life is short
sure, it's a bit cliche, but it's true. every passing year goes by even more quickly, and there's no time like the present (to use another overused cliche) to start moving in the direction of your dreams. one thing i know is that i don't want to look back and think "what if" or "if only" -- i'd rather try and fail then never try at all.
#4 dreams shift and change
your big, bold, bad-a$$ dream may seem totally unattainable right now, but keep in mind that as we grow and change, so do our dreams. you're dream to be a rockstar yogi and open studios nationwide might fade as you realize the immense satisfaction of running one local studio where you intimately know your clientele. give yourself permission to dream, but also give yourself permission to revise those dreams as you go!
share your BIG dream in the comments below!
just sharing it & making a public declaration of what you want will make it that much more real :-)