3. Flying in the Face of Fear
I still remember the first time I jumped out of an airplane. I was scared. So, I sang the theme song from my favorite show on the ride up to calm my nerves. The good news is that most of the other newbies were scared as well and sang along with me. I asked to be the first out of the door and knew that if I saw other people get sucked out of the plane then I might just not jump. But jump I did, and it was amazing.
Once out I thought, “I did it! How many seconds has it been? Um, let’s go with 2.” Then my training kicked in (Arch thousand, two thousand …). Even twenty years later I can remember the jump sequence because of the hours spent training. Capable Air Force Academy upperclassmen led us through weeks of land-based training until the big day – to freefall on our own.
In business, just like in life, sometimes you just have to take the leap. It was a big leap to get out of the Air Force and join the corporate world. Then it was a leap to go from big business to a small business owner. But each time, I leaned on the training, preparation, and – especially when jumping out of an airplane – prayer to make it happen.
Before starting my business, I earned the certifications I wanted to carry with me, listened to a million podcasts, read books, went to free Women’s Business Center trainings, dabbled in QuickBooks, and talked with other entrepreneurs, among other things. So, when the time came, I felt ready and confident. But just like jumping out a plane, nothing prepares you to run a business like running a business.
So, a few questions for you -
What does ‘taking a leap’ look like for your business? – Scaling? Hiring? Saying no to something? Entering a new market? Something else?
Where are you feeling the call to try something new?
What is one thing you can do today to move closer toward these goals?
I help executives reclaim valuable time to focus on what matters most. This means leaders work ON the business instead of IN the business. Whether it's a 10-year vision, 3–5 year strategy, or 90-day action plan - we partner to achieve your goals.
If you want to break through to the next level in your business, drop me a message, and we'll arrange a 15-min call to see if I can help.
Be well.
~Susan
