Several weeks ago I shared that I have a very real fear of failure. While writing that post, I realized (and shared) that "success" was not something I considered to be an option. When considering possible outcomes to any given situation, my goal was to fail in the least painful way. This realization gave me hope.
Maybe I fail because I choose to... and maybe if I choose to succeed, I will.
Around this same time, a dear friend approached me about buying into her online business. The business has been very good to her. VERY good. Like, "she just quit her regular job to do this full time" good. I was just on the verge of agreeing to join her, when someone pointed out that I'd never put that much effort into marketing my art... and that if I did, I might be just as successful.
With all this in mind I committed to give painting 100%. For me, right now, this comes in the form of doing "Paint With Me by Southern Breezes" classes/parties. You know the drill... I walk you through a painting and when we are done, you have a work of art all your own.
I have shamelessly marketed weekly classes on social media. I have shamelessly asked people to come to a class (only when I think their completed painting would make them happy). The whole process has been more uncomfortable than I can express.
I woke up Sunday morning with only 2 people signed up for this week's class. I was SICK. I almost canceled it. I REALLY considered just calling it quits all together, but then reminded myself that I was gonna give 100% until the end of the year... just to test this "I fail because I quit before I have a chance to succeed" theory. I prepared myself to make the best out of a 2 person class. I made the conscious decision to follow through, to NOT quit, to not chicken out... to just follow the plan... this week that simply meant hosting a paint class with 2 people.
Would you believe that by Tuesday morning I had NINE people signed up for this week's class??? I kept getting messages and emails that read something like "is there still room in this class? can you please fit me in?" and "I know I missed the deadline, but could you let me know if you have a cancellation?" and "I forgot to message you earlier, can I still come to the class tonight?"
Y'all... my poor little defeated heart SOARED!
I know that sometimes we have to cut our losses and get out of something that isn't beneficial. However, let's not confuse "this isn't beneficial to me" with "I'm scared I'll fail." Failure is not fatal and we won't know if we can succeed unless we try...REALLY try.
Just my thoughts..
K
