Push Past Planning
“Read this if: You have goals to start a fashion business, blog, or side gig and have been planning, procrastinating, and putting it off for way too long!”
Procrastination and fear led me to March 3, 2018, cleaning out a 6’x8’ cubicle that I’d sat at for 10 years; I left my job in social work that day with a piece of hope and unfortunately a lot more regret. If you ever want to see time pass way too fast, get a “comfortable” job. That’s what I had; a decent job with great benefits, decent pay, and a few friends I loved to see every day in the break room. Although this environment provided me a (somewhat) stable living, it also sucked a decade out of my post-college life and kept me stagnant with my dreams and business aspirations.
Now, yes, I believe that every experience in life is for learning and helps you become a better person, but a decade in a job you don’t love is something you can’t get back. Although I started my business as a jewelry designer and fashion blogger while working this job; my efforts were more hobby-esque than serious brand-building business. So, the day I left, I vowed to myself that I would go hard for my fashion business dreams and not give up until I reached success.
Why am I talking to you about my decade-long stint as an unmotivated cubicle worker? Because, looking back I now realize I had bigger dreams, but I wasn’t going after them passionately and wish I would have. If nothing else, I got the lesson and here I am passing it to you as my moral duty obligates me to. 😊 But, more important than that, I see so many of my fashionista friends stuck in planning mode, stuck in maybe mode, stuck in “I’m doing it, but only halfway” mode when it comes to their plans to start a fashion blog or business.
When I finally decided to go hard with my jewelry brand Pretty Perfect Style and start this blog things changed. I finally started seeing results and felt good about the path I was on, and I want the same thing for you.
So, here are 3 things that keep you stuck in the planning, brainstorming, and wondering phase with your fashion business and keep you from getting started, making money, and getting results (and solutions to help you overcome each one).
1. Fear
Eeek, this is a big one. Fear of what you might ask… well buckle up because the list is long. Fear of not being successful, fear of what your friends and family may think, fear of failure, fear of posting on social media, fear of getting something wrong, fear of having to start over if you get something wrong etc. The list of fears is long! But, what’s scarier than all of these things? Fear of getting to 70 years old and telling your grandkids that you once wanted to start a business with your love of fashion, and you never actually went for it. Or the fear of waking up and realizing you have been in an unfulfilled job, and you can’t get 10 years of your life back. The saying goes that nothing worth having comes easy, I’d like to switch that and say nothing worth having comes without fear at some point. Every success whether in your career, personal life, relationships often have some element of fear involved that you have to move past to get to the good part, right? So, determine in your mind that you will move towards your dreams with the fear, and one day after you reach success, you’ll be so glad you did.
2. Unwillingness to give up free time
This one might sting, but I know this one so well because I’ve lived it. If anyone knows me personally, they know I love to have fun, and laugh, and watch my reality shows after a long day at the 9-5. I talked about this in a previous blog here, but it took a lot of mindsets shifting and setting priorities to get myself on a schedule where my free time wasn’t just about fun but also about business building. No business, let me repeat, no business/side gig/money-making fashion business reaches success without a sacrifice of time.
Remember when Beyonce did Coachella? Although the performance was amazing, what was even more amazing to me was the prep work & time she put in to get there. When the behind-the-scenes documentary came out she revealed that she rehearsed daily for 8 months straight. 8 months! Oh, and this was with newborn twins as well. Whether you are a Beyonce fan or not, the time and commitment put in is undeniable. To do anything great or profitable requires time and sometimes that means not watching reality shows (this one is for me lol), doing some business work before you meet up for brunch, or waking up earlier to do some work before your 9-5. I know, it’s a lot, but the payoff is much greater. One way to commit more time to your dream is to put yourself on a deadline. Break up your goals into small steps and put a deadline on each one. Treat it like a paper at school or a report at work. If you can meet deadlines for your job or your professor, you can also meet deadlines for your dreams, right?
3. Lack of accountability
This reminds me of that question- If a tree falls in the forest, does it make a sound? I never really understood why that question was important, but it makes sense here 😊. If you have a goal to start a fashion business, and no one knows about it or hears about it, is it really a goal? Of course, it still can be, but a goal without any accountability is just a thought and it will be a lot harder to see it through without some form of accountability.
When I started my business back in the early days, I told my family and a few friends. This not only gave me moral support, but it also gave me accountability without even asking for it. I told them as an FYI, but automatically in conversations the next few months they would ask how my jewelry business or blog was coming along. Accountability doesn’t always look like asking someone to be an accountability partner, it can also be giving someone an update about what’s going on in your life and your plans. If they care about you, they’ll ask how it’s going eventually which will give you an automatic accountability partner without even asking. If you want it to be more official, find a friend that is working on a goal too and set up some checkpoints and time frames for you both to get the advantage of an official accountability partner.
I promise if you start mastering these 3 things it will move you out of the planning, wondering and waiting phase. Remember, you are responsible for you dreams and goals; and no one else is going to go hard for them like you. Don’t wait on another journaling session, online class, or next month to start because the sooner you start, the sooner you’ll see results. If you loved this post, let me know here on Instagram.
