“Ready or not…here I come!”
Jaxson looked at me with big eyes and a huge grin on his face. I kept saying “shhhh, Paw-Paw will hear us”.
It was no use; my little cutie pie grandson couldn’t control his giggles and Paw-Paw quickly found us (to Jaxson’s delight!).
Playing hide and seek with Jaxson is one of our favorite things to do (ahhh…the joys of granparenting!), even though he doesn’t quite grasp the concept of being ready and hiding and waiting for Paw-Paw to find us.
In working with clients over the years, I have found that one of the biggest blocks to crafting a strong, resonant, and aligned brand is…being ready.
We never feel ‘ready’ do we?
We don’t know enough
We don’t have enough experience
We don’t feel capable enough
We fear visibility
We fear judgment, critics, and haters
We’re uncomfortable with vulnerability
We don’t want to fail
We aren’t the “expert”
We aren’t familiar with the technology
And I use the pronoun “we” because I’ve been there; many, many times (more on that in a moment).
Did I cover most of them?
And what are you?
I’m willing to bet that you are:
Smart
Resourceful
Connected
ENOUGH
Committed
Confident
Capable
Experienced
So what is the antidote to not being ready?
Well there are a few things you can do:
- Get clear…Clarity is the true queen in this game.
- Prepare the best you can, but recognize that you cannot possibly foresee every bump, hiccup, and obstacle that may (and probably will) come up
- Put supports in place; mentors, coaches, whatever will help you move into doing
- Remember that you won’t ever be ready unless you start doing
- Be open and develop the mindset of exploration and experimentation; a perspective of play rather than expectations
- Change your lens…rather than worrying about being ready, consider how dragging your feet is not helping those you want to serve
Just so you know, I’m walking my talk here. Starting August 1st, I am going to be hosting an HOA (Hangout On Air) Show on Google Plus called The Empowered Brand…the Journey to Imprint, Influence, and Impact in the Digital Age (this is the working title; stay tuned!).
I had to find the equilibrium of time that would allow me to prepare and yet not allow me to dwell in the realm of I’m Not Ready.
Am I nervous…yup
Will I feel like I’m not ready with the technology…oh indeed
BUT…I know this can and will add value to entrepreneurs, solopreneurs, and those who believe that they are their business…clarity, honey.
Want to move past “I’m not ready” and into “Let’s Roll” territory?
xo
Danielle
Our blogs are on the same wavelength, today! So, my answer is, “if not now, when?” 😉
Great minds Carol!
Thanks for stopping by today 🙂
Warmly,
Danielle
That little cutie is getting SO big!
I think we spend a large portion of our lives “getting ready” instead of just going ahead and doing it. The older I get, the less I want to spend my precious time preparing. I’m just going for it.
Hey Cheryl,
Yes, I’m with you; the older I get the less time I want to spend thinking about and getting ‘ready’ to do things. Life is too damn short to spend most of it preparing and not doing! And yes, cutie pie is getting to be a big boy <3
Thanks for stopping by my friend!
Warmly,
Danielle
I work with “am I ready enough?” Thanks for the Monday morning reminder.
Hi Kim,
YES!! Am I ready enough? is a perfect way to frame it 🙂 Thanks for stopping by today and adding your thoughts to the conversation!
Warmly,
Danielle
What a great reminder! I truly feel bad for those stuck in wanting to be totally ready, perfect, and never move forward for fear of not making their grade!
Hi Haralee,
Absolutely! I admit to being in that category for many years. So grateful to be free of the perfection, approval seeking behaviors! Thanks for stopping by today 🙂
Warmly,
Danielle
Way to kick some ass mamacita. And thanks for the encouragement!
Thanks Shannon…I kick ass in the most loving way possible 😉
Now go do some awesome!
Warmly,
Danielle
Just do it already is something my grandmother often said to me. If you spend all day spinning your wheels, nothing ever gets done. We can perfect along the way. Love this post and SO happy I discovered you on The Women of Midlife. You have the stuff I want to read! 🙂
Hey Crystal,
Yes..just do it already! 😉 I love “we can be perfect along the way”. Brilliant!
So glad you are here!
Warmly,
Danielle
I’m guilty of this Danielle. I always tend to overthink, overanalyze and want things all ironed out before taking a leap. But you’re right. At 40, I’ve realized that none of us is ever completely ready for anything. What sets your essay apart from others I’ve read is the no-nonsense list you provided as to how we can better equip ourselves in spite of never being 100% ready. Thank you for sharing your wisdom!
Hi Joy,
Good gravy I’ve been guilty of the same thing. If I can overthink something, well dang it, I’m gonna do it! It’s a process that I continually have to push myself through too. I’m so glad you found some useful strategies here; that’s always my goal!
Thanks for stopping by today 🙂
Warmly,
Danielle