I’m so much better than this
October 6th, 2009
Or did I just think I was? It’s never enough. It’s never enough. I feel I’m never accomplishing anything. Is that a personality disorder? We just shipped a large order to one of the hottest hippest boutiques in town, and they have been a customer since we launched. They reorder and reorder and reorder, as do most of our retailers. Celebrities have Baby Fabulous products. I’ve met celebrities. We’ve been featured in glossy magazines and sell out in ultra chic boutiques. But it’s never enough.
Good thing too. Or is it? I spend some time telling my daughter to appreciate the moment. I see her always looking ahead, making plans for the next event, or dreading the end of the current one, and I wonder if she takes enough time to enjoy what is happening when it is happening.
Yep, yep- I lecture her because we see in others that which we can’t face in ourselves;-) I don’t know - maybe it’s a survival instinct. I would say it helped my business survive over the last year - what’s coming up? What needs to happen next? How are we going to keep on keeping on? Where can we cut the fat? Kept us alive. Did it stifle us at all?
How much of survival mentality is fear mentality? I’ll never know how much I held myself back from…being afraid we might not make it. That’s the daily balancing act of running a business - walk a tight-rope right down the middle of risk and fear and you’ll probably hang in there. Me however, I’m feeling a little restless. I think I’ll fall towards the side of risk and see if that net down there will catch me. I feel a need to be a little better than I have been - on the creative side of life. There has been a whole lot of focus on organizing and hunkering down and getting it done and making it happen and now we need to focus a little on growth and fun and possibilities and outrageous ideas. Because I mean really, I am so much better than this…
Entry Filed under: About Me, Motivation to Keep Moving
4 Comments Add your own
1. Brenda | October 6th, 2009 at 5:00 pm
Hang in there, you’re doing great, the fear that it will fall apart will always be there, they say without fear there would be no courage. It’s difficult to run a design business, most of the time the business aspect takes over everything and all of the sudden you don’t have time to design which is the whole reason for going into business in the first place.
Hang in there, take a break, appreciate the little things and the inspiration will flow.
Good luck!
2. amber | October 6th, 2009 at 5:10 pm
Hi Brenda!!!
It’s so true about how little time there is for designing. It’s also a whole differnet thing to have pressure on the designing process (will it sell??).
Thanks for taking the time to comment - I really appreciate your thoughts
3. Amber @ RuffleButts | October 7th, 2009 at 5:57 am
Oh, it is fun to read the blog of a fellow entrepreneur!! These blogs are a bit like our journals, and it is always nice to know we are not alone on this crazy emotional journey. It’s funny, I was dealing with this same issue this morning. I am trying to make some final design decisions and I am being pushed one way by business and another way by gut creativity. So difficult, as you want to create things that you like and are proud of, but the business side of things don’t always follow suit. If I have learned anything in this business, it is to trust my gut…now only if my gut could be a little more decisive =)
You have done such a fabulous job in this business. You’ve achieved what many are hoping for. Stop and enjoy the successes every now and then…and schedule a creative day away from the office at least once a month! You’ll know what to do.
4. Matt | October 10th, 2009 at 2:55 pm
I have always been a major risk taker in my businesses. Always having that pie in the sky attitude. But after getting my behind handed to me a few more times than I care for I have learned to take more calculated risks. I know take baby steps towards where I want to go and measure the progress and then keep going.
So believe me when I understand you need for something and the need for taking some risks. Just make sure to do it in a calculated way.
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