Guest Post by Shakirah Dawud
Changing won’t be easy.
You know this, so you’ll spend the entire process weighing the pros and cons, predicting whether this is something you “really need” or just a lark.
You’ll wonder whether it’s a change you can “live with” (or what, I wonder?) and what other people will think.
You’ll stall for all those reasons, pretending you’re still thinking about it when really you’re avoiding the thought of it the way you would a plague-infested rat.
And it’ll cost you.
While you’re not sure if you want to do or be something “different,” people have already thought what they will about you.
You’ve already forfeited the most recent chance you’ve had to implement something new because you’re “just not sure yet.”
You’ve already wasted time doing something you do know for sure isn’t worth it””at least not any more.
People move on, and so does time. Time is money, and people spend both. So there’s no real way to count how much of either you’ve lost.
There’s a difference between research and beating a dead horse.
There’s a difference between working with what you’ve got and playing with it. Find those differences, keep them in your sights, and move forward before mediocrity grows on you.
To do so, you’ll need to do three things:
Get over yourself.
Yes, you do need to do something about the methods that work you hard but hardly work.
It’s not going to kill you to admit to yourself that you, your decisions, and your business aren’t perfect.
Get over everyone else.
They’ll tell you what to do. They’ll tell you what not to do.
They’ll threaten you with poverty and weight gain. They’ll tell someone doing the opposite of you the exact same thing.
Point made.
Take two steps forward, one step back.
Implement, implement, observe, repeat. I’m not the most organized or systematic person out there (my family would read this understatement and shortly need oxygen machines to make up for the loss due to laughter), but I like an ROI as much as any businessperson.
Experimenting is never a waste of time.
It’s wise to have a map, but you don’t need a guarantee just to arrive at the x-marked spot.
Whether buried treasure awaits or not, you’ll never know until everyone you’ve ever met along the way remembers you not as a gold-digger, but as a treasure hunter.
Or at least as somebody after something special.
That is worth it.
Image: Rachel Ford James via Flickr, CC 2.0
Shakirah Dawud is the writer and editor behind Deliberate Ink. Based in Maryland with roots in New York, she’s been crafting effective marketing copy as a writer and polishing many forms of prose as an editor since 2002. Clients in many fun sizes, industries, and locations reach her through the Web.
You’re welcome, Melanie. I think we think of big changes the same way we do bungee jumping: there’s a big thrill to be had, but just enough danger to keep us from taking the step of no-return. If we think of it more like treasure-hunting–many little steps full of adventure–it’s easier to swallow, even if we end up having to swallow a mistake.
It certainly applies to businesses and brands, Kyle, and I think I wrote it with them in mind, actually. And in the personal sense, getting bogged down in “good enough” is ridiculously easy, and it’s happened to me more than once. I feel like experimenting once in a while keeps our businesses and brands in shape. I’m glad you found the advice worth recommending!
You make some good points. Change is inevitable, especially in business and PR, and the sooner a person can realize that, the better it will be for everyone. Accepting change and initiating change can be super hard, but then there’s a greater possibility for bearing more fruit. Thanks for posting!
Shakirah, I really love this post. I think you bring up some key points that most people get bogged down with when trying to ”˜be something different.’ I also think this can apply to businesses and brands as well as people. As the social space continues to excel you see a lot of brands taking risks out there and a lot of them playing it safe. The ones that are thriving are experimenting and taking these risks to try and achieve more. This post is great advice and I would recommend your approach to others ”˜Implement, implement, observe, repeat.’
Thanks, Howie. As I mentioned in my tweet, this is so much easier said than done. So is taking one’s own advice!
Very good advice Shakirah we all seem to get stuck in place at certain times. Especially professionally. I am a Scorpio and we tend to embrace change. In fact when change isn’t happening I get uncomfortable. Doesn’t mean I haven’t been stuck. But my view is we need keep moving forward or possibly miss out on some wonders out there in life.