four phone calls

Today I did some fabric research for my line. I looked at 4 different mills and several cotton/soy/bamboo/spandex blends. The next step is to make some phone calls.

Why does this feel so hard??

I mean, it does not feel hard in a bad way . . . you know, that creeping note of begrudgement when you're forcing the march. Rather, it's the unsettling fear of failure. Fear of failure does not really start to arise until you are acting on something. Something you really want.

In no particular order, the fears can be idenitifed more specifically:

-- Fear of not knowing what the next step is
--Fear you won't have the energy, confidence, or chops to take the next step
--Fear that you'll look stupid
--Fear that you've made the wrong decision, chucked your chips in the wrong basket
--Fear of "No"
--(And) at least 100 other inarticulate flavors of fear

Now this is the point we can either continue to tell ourselves stories or we can face facts.

This is the fear of four phone calls.

For me, it's four phone calls; for you it might be something completely different.

I know that once I confront this fear, more fear will crop up -- fears corresponding to a particular action I am taking or preparing to take.

Making peace with a moderate to high level of fear and risk is part of being in business. Hell, it's part of living life.

Solution = committment and acceptance.

--Commit to taking the action, come what may.

--Accept fear at any point in the process (err . . . okay, every point in the process).

Fear will woo you by making you believe you can cajole or otherwise lead it away from you. Bury that bone.

My committment?? Phone calls on next day off. In fact, let's take it up notch. Phone appointments on next day off & a fundraising calendar (for the phase 1 seed fund campaign).

Hell to the yeah!

What is the phase 1 seed fund you ask???

Oh, now things will really start to get interesting.

Stay tuned!