She said, “It’s time to break that spell…that spell of “What If”. Yesterday I met with a woman venturing out into her first business. It’s something she’s been dreaming of doing and she is finally taking those first steps towards making it a reality. She was a little nervous as she reflected about the prospect of what she was about to embark on, but that’s to be expected. What impressed me the most was her fervor to do something she loved and to stop asking “What if”. This woman is focused, she knows what she needs to do and she has a very healthy perspective on the reality of a startup. She knows that success may take a while, but she’s prepared for that, both mentally and financially.
The best business plan in the world will remain a secret if the creator of that plan remains stuck under the spell of “What if”. There is a difference between being cautious and being afraid. Jitters, nerves and a little bit of healthy skepticism are normal. I didn’t launch BabyLegs on a full charge of confidence, but I used the knowledge that I was doing something I loved and believed in to push me forward. There is no such thing as the perfect plan. But there are a lot of good ideas with a wealth of possibility. Paired with the ability to learn from your mistakes and the desire to take that first step, you will be your own force of nature.
The spell of “what if” is a powerful one. Do what you love and be prepared to defend it. If you can do that, than you can break the spell of “what if”. You’ll find that in the course of defending your plans you’ve already answered a lot of your mind’s lingering questions. Just because you’re ready to jump doesn’t mean you’re doing so blindly. You’ve packed your chute, you’ve mapped your landing and you’re ready. So give you’re signal to the pilot…it’s time.