Is it worth it?
I mentioned in my last post that I’ve been working on a new writing project. (You know, in addition to all the other things I’ve got going on in my business, like slinging jewelry and running my online mentorship program!)
Because this project is unlike anything I’ve worked on before, there have been a lot of times throughout the process when things have gotten really hard.
So hard, that I doubted whether or not I even had the skills to pull it off.
I’m sure some of you can relate.
Whether you’re in the early stages of your business, or you’re branching out into something new, it’s easy to fall into the trap of thinking that you’ve stepped outside of what you can handle.
You start to doubt your skills, which means you start to doubt yourself.
And at times like that, it’s easy to think about giving up. To think that you’re taking on too much or that you simply don’t have it in you. It’s easy, when things get hard and you start to doubt, to simply think about pulling the plug.
It’s easy to imagine, even if you love the idea, that maybe you’re not the right person for the job.
I know I was there a time or two (ok, probably more than that) when I felt that way about my current writing project.
But in one of those moments, I happened to be looking through some old trainings I did for Artists and Profit Makers. And in a training on dealing with overwhelm, I came across a slide that said:
Stop asking “Can I do this?”
Instead, ask “Is it worth trying?”
Now, I know it might sound a little corny to take advice from your past self, but at that moment, it was exactly what I needed to hear.
I stopped asking myself if I was capable, and started asking myself if the project mattered to me. If it was worth trying to do the thing.
And the answer was a resounding yes!
Answering that question didn’t make the gaps in my skillset go away.
Instead, it reminded me that it was worth fighting through the hard parts. That I was willing to do what it took to figure out this hard thing. That even if it didn’t work, it was still worth trying.
And it reminded me to be patient with myself. I might not have all the skills I need right now, but if I have the desire, I can learn and grow over time.
If the thing is worth it (which in this case it is), then I’m willing to give it however long it takes to let my skills grow into the project.
The next time you’re feeling stuck on something hard, I invite you to do the same. Stop asking if you can do it and ask if it’s worth trying instead.
And here’s the thing. Sometimes, the answer to that second question will be no. And that’s ok too.
If it’s not worth trying, if it’s not worth pushing through all the sucky hard parts, well then at least at least you know that at the beginning. You can move on to projects that you decide are worth it.
As artists and makers, we all have ideas we dream of seeing out in the world. And sometimes, those ideas push us beyond our current limits. That’s a good thing.
But it can also lead to crippling doubt.
So the next time that doubt appears, stop wondering if you’re good enough. Instead, ask yourself if it’s worth trying.
And if you decide that it is, then you know it’s worth putting in the work to get there, even if “there” seems really far away from where you are now!
If you read this post and thought, “But what if I fail?” or “What if it isn’t perfect?” then I highly suggest checking out my book Try It & See. (It’s available in paperback, digital, and audiobook versions.)
