What took so long?
May 22, 2009 by Juliet Chase
Filed under Juliet's Journal
A few years back I left a job in a company that I had come to regard as running a kind of legal shell game. My former manager just looked at me and said he was surprised that it took me that long. That’s kind of how I’m feeling now – what the heck has taken me so long to get to this point? Yes, things take longer than I ever anticipate; I’m starting to see a pattern of what I think will happen in a week will actually happen in a month with diligence. That’s definitely a part of it. But there’s also something to that nagging feeling of not being enough – not knowledgeable enough, not skilled enough, etc.
Now that entrepreneurship is suddenly fashionable again and in the news I’m starting to see that I’ve unconsciously tried to play both sides of that fence and consequently ended up on top of it. Nobody can really teach you how to be an explorer. By it’s very nature, it’s heading into new territory. But those are the people that I’d really like to hang out with and I’ve come to the point where I would far rather fail from trying than waiting for something to happen. So… rather than waiting I’m going to order the essential supplies I need to make my line of sea glass jewelry. I emphasize essential because as soon as I sit down with the supply catalog I find things that would be extremely useful but when I really evaluate are not critical right this minute. I don’t know why I think I can’t place a second order if it turns out I can’t get along with out it.
While I thought I’d be ready to start advertising my bread baking enterprise this week, I’m not – but I am ready to start next week. My business cards came in and I’ve got the paper to print fliers. I’ve run a test run of multiple batches of dough so I feel more confident and I’ve started calling to find out when real-estate agents will be in the office. Nothing more to do except do it!
Now I have to head off into the unknown territory of setting up online purchasing for jewelry and photography. I’ve put it off because I don’t know where to start. Anywhere will do – time to learn and explore and ask questions.
Giving 100% until you have an answer
May 19, 2009 by Juliet Chase
Filed under Importance of Motivation
Last year while flipping channels, I caught an interview with Baron Wolman, the first photographer for Rolling Stone Magazine on PBS’s Roadtrip Nation. I was captivated by his candid answers and his enthusiasm and somewhat surprised at how inspired I felt from such a brief segment. Now, every time I watch it again online I feel renewed energy and a need to keep going past mediocre until one extreme or the other is reached
One particular piece of advice stuck out the most: ‘you’ve got to give it 100% and really, really try until it works or it doesn’t.’ I think we are all inclined to forecast current mediocre results as an imminent sign of failure instead of just what is – in the middle. That’s not the time to give up, nor is it time to hedge your bets by splitting your energy and your commitment.
You can watch the six minute clip here: www.roadtripnation.com/BaronWolman
Being myself
May 1, 2009 by Juliet Chase
Filed under Juliet's Journal
Last Friday was a very interesting day – so much so that most of the following week pales in comparison. I got up very early so that I could catch the good photographic light in the tulip fields (and avoid the crowds.) I made a quick web check as I was rushing around to make sure things were in good working order before I left for the day and practically swallowed my tongue in surprise.
When I really let my sense of humor out with no reservations, odd things happen so I tend to corral it more than I should. When I wrote an online personal ad in this voice I had over 200 responses in 24 hours which was nice but overwhelming. The last time I let it out at work, senior Vice Presidents at a national bank were texting me from a meeting after seeing my email on their blackberries. So maybe I shouldn’t have been surprised on Friday, but the urge had overtaken me earlier in the week anyway and I enjoyed writing something that I figured only a few people would see. The first comment to that blog ever was posted within an hour of that article going live and from the human subject of the post – you can see it here (scroll down to the first comment and you’ll begin to understand my reaction.)
The sheer odds of that happening for a blog that reached it’s peak so far of 20 visitors later that day had me grinning for the rest of Friday. And that exuberance of ‘anything can happen’ led me to take some artistic risks with the camera that resulted in some really great pictures. I do feel inspired when improbable things happen, because maybe more are on their way! Would I have written it differently if I’d thought the subject would read it? Probably, but now that he has, I don’t feel compelled to change a word. I’m resolving to let that side of me out a little more often – nothing wrong with being caught by a wave of surprise.
Isabeau on her 18th birthday
Another thing I tend to hold back on is talking about my cat. I’m not fond of the stereotype of single women with their cats so I tend to avoid giving that impression. But… Monday was Isabeau’s 18th birthday- that’s actual years so something like 126 in cat/dog years. I’ve had her since she was six weeks old so it did make me pause and reflect on what she’s seen me through (2 graduate degrees, 4 states, 3 cars, 8 residences, …) When people say that nobody succeeds on their own I think most people are talking about other people which is true enough, but the support of pets shouldn’t be discounted either. Her confidence is me means I can never really lose mine.
Putting myself out there
March 5, 2009 by Juliet Chase
Filed under Juliet's Journal
My comfort zone is definitely in the planning and building stages of any project – the parts where failures can be kept private and things done completely on my own schedule. This week marks the beginning of the transition from that phase to the one of public input and reception for my two blogging projects (this site and www.nurdle.net) This week I started posting links to these two sites on the various social networks and next week I’ll start advertising (using my free credits that came with the web host account.) And from this point on I’ve committed to myself to post on a fairly regular schedule so that any new visitors have a reason to return. (No pressure!)
Now public opinion will start impacting my goals. I could still write, publish, do whatever at no additional cost and on my own schedule, but my goal is to make enough money through affiliates, advertising, and other products to provide sufficient income to fund the time to continue at full speed. And that requires a willing public. Not only can’t I control that, but I can’t predict it either!
Time to trust in myself and my instincts and quite frankly the people I’m trying to attract to my sites. It may take a little time, but if there’s real value here, they’ll find their way. The real risk is that I’ll stop myself just short of that goal; that famous one inch away from the vein of gold. I’m determined not to stop there.
What are you waiting for?
March 4, 2009 by Juliet Chase
Filed under Tidbits
I know what it means to feel like you need to be good before starting something so that you can improve to excellent. My high school gymnasium had banners for Olympic medals in addition to the state and regional wins. I didn’t dare try out for anything; ‘just for fun’ wasn’t part of the curriculum. But it should be. So if you find the Nike ads a bit intimidating, maybe this clip will motivate you to try something that you aren’t sure you’ll be good at. Because you just never know:-)
How to start taking more and better risks right now
February 24, 2009 by Juliet Chase
Filed under Health and Happiness
Risks are not all created equal. Healthy risks (and the ones worth pursuing) are to gain those skills and abilities that you envy in other people, “I wish I was like that” or “I wish I could do that” or that make your eyes light up while you think “I wonder if…”. They are not things that make you nauseous or instill any other symptoms of fight or flight or that you know will be harmful. Sky diving is not a healthy risk for me personally because when I think about it, all I get is a feeling of dread, my stomach drops to my knees, and I can’t imagine feeling better about myself at the end of it. It may or may not be on your personal risk list.
The first step to learning to take more risks is to figure out which ones are on your personal list without making any immediate plans to tackle them or beat yourself up for not being there yet. Risks can be big or small, things that seem silly, or things that are universally acknowledged to be a really big deal. Healthy risks may be emotional risks, physical challenges or both. It’s okay; it’s your list and your timetable – there are no deadlines.
Why keep a written list?
Well, mostly because risks are sneaky and once conquered, they quickly slip from your memory as ever having been scary. Keeping a running list that you maintain helps to prove to yourself how brave you’re being and how far you’ve come. I’ve been keeping mine since 2004 and can now say that I typically cross off about 7 or 8 items each year but with each year the number grows… you may have more or less. When I look back at the early items, it’s hard to remember ever feeling like those were really risks!
Starting your list
Step 1. Create a list of risky things that you can identify now that you would like to tackle someday. Look over the list to make sure that you aren’t allowing anyone else’s risks onto your list just because you feel you should. Do you genuinely feel excited about the day when you’ll feel ready to take each one on, even if they feel overwhelming now?
Step 2. Copy the list to a permanent journal or computer document (I confess I keep mine in a spreadsheet) and leave enough room for the date when you complete each item. Be sure to leave some room at the end to add items as you think of them.
Step 3. Pick the risk that you want to start with and ask yourself if you feel ready to take it on. It’s okay to give yourself research time or just to sit with it for awhile. When you have met the challenge, mark the date it was completed next to it on the list and pick the next one to tackle.
Step 4. Add items to the list posthumously (the risk, not you!) That is, risks that you take and face but that you hadn’t thought to add to the list ahead of time. Example: fixing the leaking toilet – not something I anticipated having to deal with, and I was shaking with each turn of the wrench, but oh so proud of myself at the end of it and I know now that I could do it again with much less angst.
Step 5. Look over the completed items once a year on New Year’s or your birthday and really take stock of how far you’ve come and give yourself credit. Add any new risks you’ve thought of that you’d like to take on someday.
In the five years that I’ve been keeping my list it’s grown to around 75 items. Here are some examples of the range these can take:
Window shop inside Tiffany’s (10/1/2004)
Visit a psychic (5/27/2006)
Call the local gym (8/15/2006)
Wander around New York City by myself (1/25/2007)
Trade $100 on the stock market (tbd)
Drive to Alaska (tbd)
