I’ve had a number of great conversations of late with super talented people who are considering their next career move away from corporate life into doing something with & for themselves. Interestingly all have great skills, a neat big idea, would be wonderful to work with & have the required resilience & tenacity to make it work. So, what could possibly get in their way?
Well, themselves for starters…
The single biggest fear I come across is the prospect of having to tell the world about what you’re doing & worse still – how it might react!
Most of these people are by default not ‘digital natives.’ They haven’t been brought up sharing their every moment online, in fact they were probably weaned on lines (like me) about ‘discretion being the better part of valour’ or ‘caution being the parent of safety’! But here is the problem…unless you get comfortable with talking about your ‘thing’ then it is going to remain your brilliant secret.
I am a fine one to talk by the way as it took me 12 months after setting up before I developed the belief to say it aloud online…not bad for somebody whose proposition includes helping with self-confidence, motivation & communication!
It took some good coaching & the immortal words from my nephew “Uncle Rups, no one really cares what you’re talking about – they’re too worried about themselves” for me to get out of my own way.
Guess what? People are pretty supportive, sometimes interested in what you have to say & if they’re not then they have the option to ignore, mute or walk on by. Do not do it for likes, impressions, connections, algorithm’s or affirmations – these are the metrics of vanity. Do it for yourself, to get feedback on what you’re planning, to communicate with those people you would like to work with & for those people who you haven’t met yet who would benefit from your ‘thing.’
All that said it still is not easy – just easier the more you do it. So go for it & get out of your own way…
