I would not describe myself as an overly adventurous person eager to embrace change as quickly as it happens. no, i rather think of myself as a sentimentalist that holds on to things much longer than necessary. At times it pays off but other times its simply heart wrenching.
But this year i decided to let my guard down and learn something new; something completely off my radar. A few months ago, i met a client who has turned out to be a great friend and who introduced me to a great opportunity that promised financial freedom. we all want financial freedom, right? Right.
i was hesitant at first and i mulled over it for months. i was looking for every possible reason on why it couldn't work, why it was not cut out for me and why i was better off doing something else; anything else. except marketing. seriously how does anyone expect me to sell, i have never sold for a living before. the more i thought about, the clearer it became to me that the only reason i was afraid of launching out was because it was the unknown, it was new, it was different and it was downright scary.
so after alot of back and forth with my good friend, i finally decided to give it a shot. i put my fears aside and i dared to believe that i could learn the skills needed to succeed in my new business venture.
it has been six months since i started this business or side hustle as others call it. I wanted to quit within the first month as i did not see any hope of success. i actually felt like i was plummeting through thick darkness into an abyss of uncertainty and failure but alot of pep talk and sound advice from my good friend saw me through this days of darkness. i look back and i am amazed at the great personal growth i have experienced in my life in the last six months. i have developed more social skills than i have in the over 10 years i have been an adult. i have met many more amazing people who have dared to believe in my dream and partnered with me. i have also had my fair share of disappointments but that is nothing compared to the pure bliss of being good at a learnt skill. i have made it my business to let everyone that interacts with me aware of my new found passion and now i have all this people telling me am a natural at selling off stuff, others think am a sales person. i have given up trying to explain to people that i am not a sales person but i am simply selling something that i enjoy taking.
This experience has gotten me thinking about how many opportunities we loose out on in life because we are too afraid to change the status quo. we are constantly depriving ourselves of new opportunities to learn new skills, foster new friendships and alliances.
Napoleon Hill, a great mentor and thought leader aptly states that the only limitations that exists are the ones on our minds. the truth is that we can only go as far as our minds see. it is imperative for us to continuously expose ourselves to new information, we need to wean out old mindsets set by culture and society. the limitations set by our old paradigms must give way to radical mental shift in order for us to rise as transformational leaders. the transformational leader understands that real change begins with a paradigm shift. we have the innate ability to think our way through the problems and challenges facing us as individual and as a society but our minds have to be exposed to new knowledge and information. Just as we cannot put new wine in an old wine skin, in the same way, we cannot add more information to an old paradigm. we will just have a bloated, retrogressive old mindset. Be willing to unlearn some 'truths' passed down from generations that came before us. our grandfathers were not always right, they only spoke from their limited perspective. understand that what works today will not work five years from now if its not reprogrammed to fit the needs of the society five years from now. the society and individuals are dynamic social beings that are ever evolving. the great successes we see and admire with the movers and shakers in our generation are not overnight miracles. this individuals will speak of hours, weeks, months or even years of devotion to a cause; a dream. they have continuously honed their skills, exposed themselves to information, submitted themselves to wisdom and most importantly they have the audacity to believe in the absurdity of their dreams. the long tedious hours of preparation eventually gives way to success.
It is within us to be all that we want to be. take personal responsibility of your dream and vision. I do not agree with the school of thought that says that only certain people can make you who you are cut out to be, i believe there are people that help us along the path to our destiny but ultimately the buck stops with you. if you are not where you need to be, it is because you have not done your job of taking you there. If you are not happy, its because you have not made decisions that will bring in happiness. no one can make you happy, successful or complete. That is your personal responsibility; the greatest person around you will only complement you. you cannot keep blaming people, circumstances, predisposition for where you are. Get up, take responsibility for your life. re-evaluate your choices. push your limits. extend your frontiers. get the limits off and fly.
m.
PS: check out my website on www.marieshouseofcoffee.organogold.com to see some of the great products that i am selling.
