I’ve been thinking a lot about failure lately. Or, more specifically, the fear of failure. That tremendous, crippling fear that keeps so many people from ever getting started, from ever taking that first step. Whether it’s creating your first household budget or quitting your job to sail around the world, the first step can be daunting. That first step is given such inflated, monumental significance. There is such immense self-imposed pressure to execute perfectly that many people falter before they even begin.
So, what’s the secret sauce to get over this fear? In a word: START (cue the eye roll…) I know it sounds trite, but it really is that simple. Start doing something that moves you, however incrementally, toward your goals, dreams, or desires. For all the fanfare the first step gets, the step itself, the action your take, will almost certainly prove less-than-critical in the greater scheme. What’s important is that you take the step. It doesn’t have to be perfect. And, in all honesty, it will probably be far from it. But, that doesn’t matter. What matters is that you keep moving forward, keep learning from your shortcomings and failures, and continually make the necessary adjustments along the way.
The day I decided to start a podcast the extent of my recording career was crafting clever outgoing voicemails on my friends’ phones when they were asleep. So, it’s probably not surprising that after making the decision, doing the research, and purchasing the equipment, a sense of trepidation struck me as I sat down to record for the first time. Are you really doing this? Who’s going to listen? What will they think? What if they hate it? Who the hell am I to give advice anyway? You’re making yourself vulnerable. Blah, blah, blah…
As you’ve figured out by now, I pressed record and started talking. The final product wasn’t remarkable in any sense of the word. It was an hour-long monologue peppered with stammering, awkward pauses, inconsistent sound quality, and meandering streams of consciousness. But, it was the first step. It didn’t matter that it wasn’t perfect, or even close to it. It was forward motion in the face of uncertainty and discomfort, and it set the stage to keep moving forward. And, until last week when I discovered the file on my hard drive, I thought no one would ever hear it. However, after listening for the first time since last year, and finding drastically fewer cringe-worthy moments than anticipated, I decided to put my first step on display, edit free. However, I do feel obligated to warn you that you’re in for a bit of silly rambling, and my mother is totally going to admonish me for swearing so much. But, I sincerely hope you enjoy listening to step one even half as much as I enjoyed taking it. Cheers! – Rob
Are you thinking about taking the first step? Are you hesitating? Already moving toward your goals? Wherever you are right now I want to hear about it. Send me a message HERE.
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Links to content discussed in this episode: Inside Quest with Tom Bilyeu, Awesome Office Podcast.
The following links are for the books discussed during the episode. Every book we discuss and link is a personal recommendation of mine or the current guest. The links found on this page are affiliate links, so a portion of any purchase from these links benefits the show. If you dig these books or have a book recommendation of your own please let us know in the comments or shoot us a message.
