Dabbl

              Have you ever had an underlying passion that you never had the courage to pursue? I think we all have. For some it may be starting a new difficult and rewarding hobby or get in really good shape. For me, it’s always been about entrepreneurship. The idea of starting my own business has been in my head for years now. It’s like a constant whisper telling me to go for it. But why haven’t I? I can tell you what I think the answer is. I think it’s laziness. I’m worried that I don’t have the ability to follow through on this passion. There have been many passions that come and go. I get very excited to try it out and in the beginning it’s going great. But like all things, momentum slows down when there is no force behind it. I lose whatever that force is the longer I put myself through it.

              This hasn’t always been the case. For instance, this blog. I have made a dedication to myself to write an article a day. I’ve been successful at it so far. Maybe we don’t know our passions until we try them. I was excited to start this blog, but I’d be lying if I said there wasn’t a thought in my head that I would get bored of it and give in at some point. However, it’s been working out. I’ve stuck to it and I can see myself getting better and more creative each week.

              How can I relate this to my desire for entrepreneurship? Well, the argument could be made that if entrepreneurship truly was a passion then I would have at least tried it already. But, there is a fear that is keeping me back. My fear of failing. My fear of disappointing myself or discovering that I don’t have what it takes.

              In reality, I don’t know for sure that I’ll fail. How can I mitigate this fear so it is less harsh? For one, I’d prefer to keep it to myself until I get things off the ground and start making money. For some reason, I don’t want to put myself out there in the public and tell all my friends only to see that a month later I gave up. That’s embarrassing and I’ve always cringed when people are too pushy with their businesses before they become successful. So, keeping the business anonymous is one way to mitigate this fear. How can I do this?

              One way to do this is by using a “stage name”. However, I can still use my network for help if I’m using the stage name. When I say I’m scared of putting myself out in public, I’m not talking about my close friends. These friends share the same itch of entrepreneurship and will only be helpful and supportive. It’s the friends on the fringe, and it’s those friends that aren’t really in your life anymore that we all secretly compare ourselves to. Now that I say that, it does seem a bit pathetic.

              How can we and I achieve our underlying passions? Step one is to find out what you’re scared about. Be very honest, just like I was, about what you are worried about and where you fear lies. The next thing would be to get creative with your ideas and just try it. Don’t look at it as if it is the end all be all. Think of it as you are just trying to find your passion. If it works out then it works. If it’s not for you, then no big deal! That should almost be a relief to be able to tell yourself that you gave it a try and now it won’t be on your mind. You won’t be wondering if it’s for you. Because you actually gave it a try and know for yourself.

              It’s no big deal if you try and fail. Failing is just finding out what isn’t for you. And if it’s not for you then there’s nothing you can do about it. But you won’t find this out unless you try. Pursuing a passion can be difficult and there’s no doubt that mine is one of the most difficult out there. It’s important to look small and not big. Look at the small task that day or hour and not the task of being profitable. Take it step by step. Ease into it and take your time. Don’t rush it to the point where you are uncomfortable. This will only discourage you from your potential dream. I hope everyone, including myself, finds the courage to start a passion of theirs. Best of luck to you.