On doing something new

Hello friend,

Over the next two days, I’d be doing something I have never done before.

Across 4 sessions of 3 hours each, I’d be facilitating a workshop on brand storytelling at a university for over 150 first-year students who are fresh out of school.

There are too many things that can go wrong.

But, there is also a possibility of a lot of fun and learning. I am not used to having the center stage but I have always enjoyed doing that whenever I have got a chance.

So, as I sit down to write this, I feel a mix of nervous energy and strange excitement.

And these feelings also remind me of when I started on the path of self-employment last year.

When you start something new, you go through a spectrum of excitement and fear.

Excitement to chase your curiosity. Discomfort because you go beyond your comfort zone. The thrill of new experiences. Fear of messing things up.

And there is no right zone. Going through both spectrums is essential.

But, it is critical to stay somewhere in the middle when you go through it.

We can be too excited that we ignore obvious loopholes and make silly mistakes. On the other hand, we can be too fearful that we overthink and overanalyze everything without taking any action.

If we spend too much time on either side, it can lead to blind optimism or paralysis by analysis.

This is especially true when you start walking an independent path.

Uncertainty is both a blessing and a curse depending on where you are in the spectrum. You can either learn to have fun in the excitement of unforeseen yet fulfilling opportunities or, you can be over-cautious and fearful about how things can go wrong.

Ultimately, it is a choice you make with the awareness of this spectrum.

On that note, I just want to share one thing this week.

​Letter to a Friend Who is Thinking of Starting Something New​

In this piece, the author shares a heartfelt and vulnerable message for anyone who is about to start something new.

What stood out to me was these 6 questions to ask yourself to become more intentional about your new endeavor:

1. Will you use this opportunity to grow and evolve or will you use it to beat yourself up?​
​2. How will you avoid insecurity work?​
​3. Can you learn to enjoy the process as the end in itself, not the means?​
​4. Will you default to the norms of your industry, or will you be an original?​
​5. What tools will you use to quiet your ego and see reality clearly?​
​6. Do you have clarity on what kind of financial value you aim to create?

​Read the full article here​

That is all from me this week, folks!

Until next time,
Love,
Vishal

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