Defining Your Fear

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How much does fear control your decision process? It’s a simple question, and one that can be answered quite easily with a quick, “very little,” but are you being truly honest with yourself? For many, I would say, fear is one of the driving factors in many of the career decisions or indecisions we take. From fear of losing our job to fear of making the wrong choice to fear that we won’t ever find the right position, we get stuck in a never-ending cycle of repetitive, predictable behavior that only hurts us in the end.

Don't let fear keep you from moving forward, but don't run away from it, either.

Don’t let fear keep you from moving forward, but don’t run away from it, either.

For me, fear leads me to sit in front of the computer too much during the day, worried that if I move from my spot, my clients will all come calling. Without me there, they will grow angry and look for someone to replace me. Or the fear that funding will run out on current projects, which will force me to quickly find another one.

The funny thing about all this is of course, these are things that could happen. In fact, the second fear is something that will likely happen as clients do not ever last forever. But neither of them deserve the dinner that I constantly feed the fear, since as long as I control what I can control, nothing too terrible will happen to me. My clients know that I’ll respond to them as soon as I can. If clients do decide they need to pull funds, I know that I can work to find other projects. After all, I’ve done it before. So why do I decide to play into these fears so whole-heartedly?

I don’t know. I can’t answer it, myself. I think it’s because I give them credence everyday, that they continue to feed on itself. It’s that fear that continues to build and build and build, until I’m unable to change my behavior. By doing what I’m doing, I allow that fear to continue to creep in.

Don’t get me wrong, some fear is good. For instance, the fear that you might not do well on the project will drive you to do the best that you can. But when it gets out of line, and you end up starving yourself of food or sleep, in order to get a few more minutes with it, then maybe the fear has overtaken the situation.

And that’s how I evaluate my fears now. Continue reading →

Has The Water Kept You From Quitting?

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If you have checked your social media feeds, YouTube or any part of the Interwebs in the past couple of days, then you probably came across the David Foster Wallace graduation speech turned short film. If you haven’t had the chance to check it out, or simply hear his speech, then you should take the time.

As a freelancer, there’s a certain element of his speech that touches my heart. One of the main reasons I chose to move out of the 9-5 workforce was in part, as Foster calls it, “water.” The water that surrounded me included the travel to work, the constant need to try and appease someone else’s vision, the fight for the slightest recognition, the fear of slightest failure, the need to stay in one spot all day long, the ever-glow of the computer that I couldn’t escape and on, and on and on. I felt I needed to work for myself, and find ways to battle this “water” that was killing me softly.

And while Wallace’s speech tries to describe what a person’s life who’s graduating college will be like as they head off into that 9-5, there’s relevance no matter what you do. I chose to quit my job because I wanted to reduce the amount of unneeded water in my tank. But it didn’t eliminate it. In fact, some new problems arose, while similar issues continued to fester. And it’s never a good time to head to the grocery store after work, no matter what you do for a living.

Yet, I can’t help but think back on what Wallace said (Not sure if it’s in the video, but you can read his full speech here):

 If you’re automatically sure that you know what reality is and who and what is really important — if you want to operate on your default-setting — then you, like me, will not consider possibilities that aren’t pointless and annoying. But if you’ve really learned how to think, how to pay attention, then you will know you have other options. [Emphasis Added[ It will actually be within your power to experience a crowded, loud, slow, consumer-hell-type situation as not only meaningful but sacred, on fire with the same force that lit the stars

Part of my interpretation of his words is that everyone will have these issues, these annoyances, these distractions. It’s how you react to them that really makes you who you are, and how creative, kind and imaginative you can be. And, although, I have those annoyances, I’m no longer stuck thinking that the solution is just another version of the problem. Meaning, I don’t need the 9-5 to help me fix my issues. My new version also has concerns and I’m constantly looking to fix them. Whether it’s still sitting too long in front of the computer, or handling client questions or whatever. There’s always something that comes up, but now I see options that I never saw before I quit my job.

So this is for those who have contemplated a similar move. A move to remove yourself from the typical workforce, the corporate setting, the drab decorated building; don’t let minor concerns keep you imprisoned. Also, don’t think, just because you have left your job that the problems will fade away. You need to figure out in what setting can you create better than any other because that will allow you, above all, to more clearly see through the mess that’s everyone’s life. It’ll show you what’s most important and keep “problems” in perspective.

It’s dependent on you and only you to decide what will make you happy. But don’t shy away from the unknown out of fear because the water around you is only becoming more invisible if you continue on that path. And once you can’t acknowledge it, your true pain – or sadness – will set in.

“But of course there are all different kinds of freedom, and the kind that is most precious you will not hear much talked about in the great outside world of winning and achieving and displaying. The really important kind of freedom involves attention, and awareness, and discipline, and effort, and being able truly to care about other people and to sacrifice for them, over and over, in myriad petty little unsexy ways, every day. That is real freedom. The alternative is unconsciousness, the default-setting, the “rat race” — the constant gnawing sense of having had and lost some infinite thing.”

 Fight for the freedom that matters. Fight for your consciousness.

The Repetition of Ideas to Sell Online Leaves Little For You

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One of the many hopes of the Internet was that it allowed anyone to express themselves in any way they wished. We have seen this with the influx of blogs and social media tools, which all offer a way to share what you think and how you think online. But despite this influx of opportunity, it’s amazing to me how limited the opinions and content are. And what I mean by that, is how often people within a certain area of expertise often write and opine on topics, with a similar strategy and opinion.

Are you following someone else's path online? It could doom your success.

Are you following someone else’s path online? It could doom your success.

Look at the world of online business advice, which is what this blog would fall into. You have two main strategy drivers: 1. How To Get Rich Doing As Little As Possible 2. What You’re Not Doing, Which Is Why You’re Not Rich. Then leaders of these various opinions focus, often, on a single subject within the idea. Some will talk about creating a new business using one of the strategies, while others will talk about content strategy, SEO, social media and on and on and on. But at the heart of what is being said can often be filed in one of these two ideas.

And this leads to the lack of new or intriguing content. This leads to a bunch of success from the person who originally coined or first successfully marketed the idea, then some great success from the early adopters, followed by little to minor success from the laggards. Those bringing up the rear often try to expand on these original ideas, but by the time they do so, it has already been stretched for all its worth. You can still find nuggets of success by presenting the idea in a whole new way, but in the end, you’re presenting an old idea. The reason the people in the back of the trend struggle is because they’re not presenting anything new.

But this is how the advice works. If you follow A, then you will get to B. But once so many people follow A there’s no room on B. So in order to find room, you need to get to C, but you will need a new path. You see this issue being pressed by even those who first developed the original ideas, seemingly, admitting to their readers or followers that you should use my idea but not my plan. Yaro Stark, a very successful and long-time blogger at Entrepreneus-Journey.com recently showed this slight change: Continue reading →

photo by: VinothChandar

Balancing Business and Art

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Sometimes you read things, and it immediately pops out at you. This morning, I read such a line when doing a random Google search. I came across a Patch.com article out of Redondo Beach, CA (outside of my usual reading, as a resident of NYC). But the article caught my eye because the editor of the Patch site offered a profile of a local business man who owned a pottery place. And his original purpose of the business was slow, so he found a way to fund it another way. He was quoted as saying:

Does your art fund your life or do you need a side-business? It's okay, either way.

Can your business be rearranged to help fund your art? 

Although he has definitely felt the economy slump for the past few years, this past Christmas was one of his worst. “I normally always sold between $2,000 and $3,000 worth of ceramic work. And (last) Christmas I didn’t sell anything.”

He admits, however, that his business has always been more about making art than making money. “For me, other than teaching classes or leasing out space to other studios (or) ceramicists, it’s always been a little bit on the slow side,” he said.

The piece goes on to detail how this business man, Charles Howell, managed to keep his pottery business running, by teaching and renting out space to other artists. And that’s really what caught my eye. It’s amazing how this man whose original business was creating pottery – which is what he loved to do – struggled and how he overcame that to continue to practice what he loved to do. In order to pay for his art, he rented out space and taught classes. Then, when he could, he practiced his art.

That’s a beautiful way to handle a struggling business. Often, we worry so much about reaching sales goals. And it’s important, after all, we need to be able to pay rent, put food on the table, etc. But we can’t forget why we run the business that we run. Some of us are fortunate enough to survive on only producing passion projects. Others of us have to supplement our income with non-passion, side revenue generators. But that’s okay, as long as it’s funding our ability to create what we truly want to create.

While in this case, Howell’s pottery portion of his business may not be booming, it seems as if he can’t give it up. Who knows, with the right marketing, it could completely turn around. But even if business remains the way it has been, as long as he’s creating, he will be fine. That’s inspiring.

Continue reading →

photo by: bradleypjohnson

A Change of Pace

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As a business owner, what do we see when we look at what we’re offering our customers? If it’s product, does it work? Does it make the customer want more? Does it add value? If it’s a service, does the customer need it? Does it make the customer better positioned in the marketplace? Does the service add value?

I want to help you tell your story. Share your story with me today.

I want to help you tell your story. Share your story with me today.

It’s important to ask because if you’re not adding value, I’m not sure why you would want work for yourself, as you probably won’t thrive for long. But as I do my analysis of whether I’m adding value, I wonder if I’m achieving my goals on this blog. And I worry about this, not because I’m not providing any value, but because I worry the value I’m providing is too easily found someplace else. Have we been inundated with information on social media, content strategy and PR, to the point that it nearly becomes useless for your needs?

But I also worry because I don’t think I’m creating content that fully embraces my talents, expertise and experiences. Which means, I’ve shortchanged you on the blog. I’m not showcasing my true writing abilities. I’m not highlighting my experience as a journalist to ask the right questions. And I’m not connecting you with business stories that will help you achieve success.

Instead, I look at my content, and think, ‘yeah, it’s good. Not great.’ And while I created it, I haven’t crafted it into art. And that concerns me, which is why it’s time for a change. But I need your help.

Over the next few months, I want to transition this blog into a completely different entity. While it will still have the information that I’ve already created, and I will continue to create content on the subjects I’ve written on in the past, it’s time to move this blog forward. And to do so, I want to tell your story. These will be in-depth, detailed looks at how you run your company. How you have achieved a goal. How you have overcome obstacles. And how you provide value.

But these aren’t pieces that simply say, look how great this company is because that’s not providing you with value. Instead, there will be conflict. There will context. And there will be heartbreak. Because owning a business is not a straight line to the finish, where you reach without adversity. You have struggles, anxieties and failures, that make you who you are and create the results you now have achieved. Those are the stories worth telling. That is the art of a truly successful business. And that’s the story I want to share.

Do you have a story to share? Have you dealt with a struggle to turn your business into success? How did you overcome the obstacles? I want to know. Please share your story with me. I’m on the lookout for any company, no matter the size (you can have no employees, 10 employees, 500 employees, I don’t care) that’s willing to let me inside, see how you work, see how you have dealt with adversity and share what I have found with my readers.

You will then have an in-depth profile of your company from an independent third-party, which you will be free to use for marketing material on the Web or in print, if you would like, for your own use.

Will it all be gold, fairy dust and sprinkles? No. But it will make your company real, and it will connect you to those – customers and other businesses – that understand what you have overcome and want to share in your achievements.

If you have a story to share, whether you think it’s significant or not, please email me at rmdmediainc@gmail.com. I will read what you send, and I will let you know if it works.

Help me create art. Help me, help you tell your story.

-Ryan

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photo by: V&A Steamworks