Goin' Out on That Limb
So, I’m sittin’ at my local grocery store the other day, pumping gas for the ol’ jalopy (and meanwhile being extremely thankful that little price dial ain’t whirrin’ around like a fan, like it was a few months ago), when I happened to look up and noticed this little fellah up there in the tree above me.
Just before I managed to drag out my cell phone and snap this shot, he was waaaay out there on the very end of that limb. Although the little guy couldn’t have weighed more than a whiffle ball, that skinny little branch he’s on was bent over like a bow.
What could he have been thinkin’, I wondered?
I mean, there he was out there on that tiny little twig, risking life and limb, and for what? There weren’t any nuts out there (except, of course, himself).
I’m always amazed at the apparent fearlessness of these little critters; risking it all (like that little character, Scrap, from the Ice Age animated movies) for the Holy Grail of squirreldom, that one last juicy nut.
What makes ‘em that way, anyway? What is it that makes them – or anyone, for that matter – willing to do whatever it takes to accomplish what they have in mind?
The Wake-Up Call
The question is no longer an idle one. You may remember a couple of weeks ago I somewhat unexpectedly had to change companies due to cutbacks (sound of big surprise). More than once during these last few weeks, Mrs. MZM and I looked at each other and realized the hard truth: We had no Plan B!
Well… that’s not really true. To be more accurate, there actually IS a Plan B – and it’s been in place for well over a year – but we came face to face with the fact that we had failed miserably to do anything with it, if you get my meanin’.
See, here’s the thing.
I run a completely different business on the side. Not really that unusual, I know; lots of folks do something for a little extra cash, too. It’s just that to be successful in this business, it requires me to do things I’ve never done before. Like any business, in order to grow it, I have to… search for leads (not really all that hard), network my way into opportunitites (a little harder), and market myself like crazy (something I find very, very difficult).
Unfortunately, I haven’t been doing these essential things like I should have been – and thus, the business essentially languished. The result: now, when having that second income should have been a welcome safety net, well, it simply ain’t there – yet!
Hoo-eee! You wanna talk about your wake-up call!
Busy as… a Squirrel
OK, so for the last few weeks, I’ve really been doing what I should have been doing all along – all those, y’know, icky things I mentioned above – and more. But it ain’t easy, I’ll tell ya. Why? Because it requires me to kinda go out on that limb, so to speak, just like our little fuzzy friend up there.
See, the thing is, I’m an introvert by nature. And it’s dang hard for me to up and market myself like that. It ain’t something that just comes natural to me. Besides, it’s a scary world out there, y’know?
I mean, what if folks don’t want what I have to offer? (Of course you do, I tell myself. I mean, who wouldn’t want to pay less for something they’re already paying for every month?) What if they think I’m nuts? (So what’s your point, I say. That ship already sailed a while back, I’m afraid.) What if they look at me and think Just who the heck do I think I am, anyway? (Hey, I’m nobody special; I’m just like you, I’d say.) What if… Hey, you know how it is, right?
But to be successful at this business – or any business, or any endeavor worth pursuing, for that matter – you pretty much have to get out there anyway, right? C’mon, nod your head with me here. (Sound of heads nodding) The difference between then and now, of course, is that little thing called motivation. And that’s the key element.
It’s actually easy to do the tough things – when you’re motivated.
Motivation Makes the Difference
So, now that I’m, y’know, finally motivated, it’s time for me to go out on a limb, folks. Time for me to willingly – and with a remarkable sense of growing enthusiasm – do things I’ve never done before! Yep; time to take the risk! That’s right, y’all – it’s time to spit into the wind! To (swelling sound of inspirational music) go forth where no man has gone before! To dang the torpedoes and go full speed ahead! To – ouch… (sound of dull thud as blunt object hits back of head)…
Er, sorry; got a little carried away there.
I mean, sure, it’s scary; especially at first. But I tell myself (there’s a lot of self-talk involved in this, don’cha know… which is perfect, since as you know, I talk to my Self a lot anyway) it’s the only way.
What About You?
So what is it that gets YOU motivated to do that thing you want to do? ARE you doing what you want to do? What will it take for you to DO the thing you, y’know, love to do?
Tough questions, I know. Think about it, won’t you? In the meantime…
Onward, through the fog! (sound of inspirational music, fading into the distance…)
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Photo: Out on a Limb, by Robert Hruzek
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Middle Zone Musings is a comfortable place to stop, have a cup of coffee, swap a few stories and share practical ideas for the real world. I don't ask for much, just a bit of your brain every now and then. Have a seat, take a load off, and relax...
Hi Robert, I’m very project oriented. When I have something specific to do, I generally have no problem focusing to git ‘er done. It’s when I don’t have a specific project in front of me that I start to wander – it’s too fuzzy. I sympathize with your situation. Glad to hear you’ve gotten your mojo back!!
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@Brad – Yeah, I hope that mojo’s back! We’ll see how it goes after the first few weeks. Either I’ll be a raving lunatic (might be hard to tell, I know), or I’ll be in the groove by then.
Robert, I’m so proud of you for developing plan B even while you have a new job lined up. Hope today has gone well btw!
I’m not one to offer advice on this score because I find marketing and promotion hard myself, but I think the key is to focus on the product (or its benefits), not yourself. That way you and the other person are both engaged in looking at the third party (the product, service or business idea) and you won’t feel so much like you’re trying to get people to look at you. Which, as an introvert, would be the last thing you’d ever want to do.
The other thing that occurred to me about the squirrel. I bet the squirrel doesn’t think it’s out on a limb… Why? Because it knows it can jump like the best of them.
Is that an approach we can also apply to ourselves?
First off, I love Scrap; Scrap is tenacity embodied.
Second, Mark Twain is attributed with saying, “If you eat a frog first thing in the morning, the rest of your day will be wonderful.” In other words, just dig in and do that unpleasant thing first and everything else will seem easy by comparison.
Third (or at least two and a half), Twain also had a version of the same thing for procrastination. He’s quoted with, “If you have to eat a frog, don’t look at it for too long.”
Even if Twain didn’t really say these (I haven’t been able to verify the quotes), not bad advice, they.
Robert, I’m glad you found another opportunity! Your post hits the nail on the head. It’s funny how motivation will trigger our courage, and more importantly when the fear to not act outweighs the fear to face the thing you’re afraid to do.
You’re not promoting yourself, you’re actually finding people who have a need for what your company offers and then telling them about it.
Robert,
If I may say so – I’m a kind of introvert also. Every time I get a positive feedback I am surprised. But the more those positive feedbacks keep coming in, the more audacious I feel, do those things I’ve never thought I would be doing with the effect that I am slowly getting the impression that I am doing not too bad (actually I seem to be quite good at some things).
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@Joanna – Two excellent points, Joanna!
The product/service, and why the customer should want it is the main focus of what we do: it’s something they use every day, they already have it in their budget, and we can deliver it for less!
The second point is about the squirrel, and it’s one I left unsaid, hoping someone would add it in: To the squirrel, bein’ out on that limb is second nature! Hope one day to be the same way when it come to takin’ a (measured) risk!
Tip o’ the hat to ya!
@Terry – Good advice all around, Terry! Hey, I feel the same way about raw oysters. Otherwise, I’m there, Bubba!
@Karen – You’re right, of course; ;motivation is a key to just about everything. And, we use the same sales skills every day without even realizing it!
@Ulla – Hey, most of us don’t even know what we’d be good at – if we’ve never tried anything! I’m glad you tried blogging, though – I would never have discovered your writing and painting talents!
Good luck! I hate self-promotion too. I agree with Joanna, focus on your product and the people you’re trying to help. I was in Toastmaster’s International for several years because I was terrified of speaking before a group. Once I got my ego out of the way and talked about subjects I deeply cared about and wanted to share, my self-consciousness vanished and I enjoyed it.
I don’t have much trouble with motivation because I am doing what I love. At the risk of repeating myself, my motto is, “Stay curious and open to life. No matter what happens keep learning and growing. Find what you love to do and find a way to share it with others.
Jean Browman–Cheerful Monks last blog post..An Uninvited Adventure
I used to do something that I Don’t want to do in the past, and this really torturing my physical and mental indeed, Robert. After I quit my previous job, I’m now have more time to do something I love to do. And, I should have done it in the very beginning…
I agree, Robert, that self-promotion is the hardest thing to do, and I really shared the Cheerful Monk’s fear of public speaking until I became a community college instructor late in life. Then I discovered that concentrating on those you are speaking to makes all the difference in the world, and it becomes fun. Now that I’m retired I miss this interaction a great deal because it took me outside of myself, and I met so many students that I enjoyed and who enriched my life. I have a feeling that as you dive into Plan B; you are going to love it.
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@Jean – I like your motto; kinda similar to my own, were I to articulate it. Guess I’m a born teacher at heart, cause I love to learn!
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@Wilson – Well, there ya go, Bubba! You’re on your way now!
Robert Hruzeks last blog post..Guest Post at “What Would Dad Say”
@Terro – Thanks, I know I’ll certainly learn a lot – and have fun at it, too!
Robert Hruzeks last blog post..Guest Post at “What Would Dad Say”
You know, Robert, that furry little creature probably wasn’t fearful, being out there on a limb. He wasn’t thinking, what will my friends think of me, coming out here and there are no nuts! He was doing what he had to for survival, checking every possibility.
Perhaps he was watching you and thinking, “Ha, that guy thinks he has it tough, making cold calls and marketing his service. He should see what it takes to gather a few nuts around here.”
Go for it, Robert. Check every limb for opportunities. You can do it!
@Glena – You make a great point, Glenda; I don’t suppose he was. But I wouldn’t put it past the fuzzy little critter to be doin’ it just to teach me a lesson about how risk and danger are relative.
See, for me, goin’ out on that limb is something new, uncomfortable and risky. For him, it’s… well, life. Lesson learned – I hope!
Thanks for droppin’ by and shakin’ my tree, Glenda! Tip o’ the hat to ya!
My pleasure, Robert. All the best with your new venture!
I love that squirrel in Ice Age he falls in love in part 3 which is the best part.
That safety net is something that everyone should have. It can make or break people! It is the people that are dedicated enough to spend an extra hour or two everyday in order to keep that safety net going. From reading your stuff, I have a great feeling you will always have a great one!
@Matt – Hey, I appreciate that, Matt! Thanks and a tip o’ the hat to ya!