So I’m hanging out over on one of my favorite websites, Kickstart Kitchen and their founder Jules Taggart wrote something that literally kickstarted me in an article titled “Calculated Risks for Business Success – Put on Your Big Girl Panties.” Here’s an excerpt.
Here’s the thing – at some point you are likely to be faced with a tough choice. Option A is to hang on by your fingernails and get used to the status quo. Option B is to take a leap of faith and give up some (ok, pretty much all) certainty as to what will happen next.
Right now, your heart is jumping up and down singing: “Hell yes! Sign me up for the leap of faith option.” Meanwhile your head is frantically breathing into a paper bag and screaming: “Whoa! Put the brakes on, sister. Let’s not do anything rash!”
When it comes to making decisions for your business, just remember this one little rule: risk is directly tied to speed.
I stopped when I read that last line. I gasped and put my hands on my head. It shouldn’t just be mind blowing for me, a startup CEO. It should be mind blowing for everyone. We want things to happen fast. We want to grow fast, ascend in our career fast, make money fast. But we want to do it all in the cozy little pocket of safety and security we build around ourselves. It just isn’t possible. You have to take risks, calcuated ones, big ones, in order to move faster to the life you want.
Right after I read Jules’ article, I did something I’ve been waiting months to do – I added every single person in my address book to Career Girl’s e-newsletter. Some of them I hadn’t talked to in years. I didn’t know if they’d remember me or my name or my face. And for the past 6 months, I’ve worried about how I would feel if any of these people unsubscribed from my newsletter. So I just didn’t add them. Finally, I bit the bullet and grew our newsletter following from 500 to 1,400. It felt awesome. And sure, a few people unsubscribed. I didn’t even look to see who. But more people, a huge number of them, emailed me personally to thank me and congratulate me on my business. I grew….fast….but I had to take a big risk in rejection to do it.
What are you doing TODAY in your life that is a big risk that will increase the speed of your success?
About the Author: Marcy Twete
Marcy Twete is the Founder and CEO of Career Girl Network and the author of the book “You Know Everybody! A Career Girl’s Guide to Building a Network That Works.” At Career Girl Network, Marcy provides women with information, resources, and networking to empower them in their careers and to advance the work of women in business as a whole. Prior to launching Career Girl Network, Marcy worked in numerous nonprofit organizations and as a consultant in the field of nonprofit fundraising, marketing, and community relations. Marcy is a graduate of the College of St. Benedict in St. Joseph, Minnesota, and a native of rural North Dakota. She is the Vice Chair of the Chicago Board of Directors for Step Up Women’s Network in Chicago and a member of the Advisory Board for Girls on the Run Twin Cities, and is dedicated to advancing the work of organizations that move the needle for women and girls worldwide.
Marcy, I like your style! Going for it feels good, doesn’t it?
Whoa–I needed this!
I love it…so telling of fearless and faithful actions.
Luz