Sound familiar?
If you clicked on this article then i’m going to assume you’ve said this to yourself, and probably on more than one occasion.
But let’s take a step back a minute..
Does anybody truly know what they want? And is it possible to want one thing, and then after some thought and possible attempt, want something completely different?
2 years ago I decided I wanted to be a cake artist. I’ve always been a hobby baker, and my current job as bartender just wasn’t really fulfilling.
So I tried it.
I made business cards, created an instagram, and started advertising myself to close friends and family.
Much to my surprise, I started getting orders and demands for more events.
“Wow, This is great. I’ll keep growing and maybe soon i’ll be able to quit the restaurant and become a full-time cake artist.”
Not so fast..
Conundrum #1: In the edible industry, everything has a shelf life. And in order for my product to be quality and produce more business, I needed it to be as fresh as possible.
That left me with a 4 hour window when I got off work at 11PM, to get as much done as I could only to wake up at 5 hours later and finish what I couldn’t.
I was spreading myself so thin I depleted whatever passion I had for baking right out of my system. I soon resented baking and after a year or so, decided it wasn’t something I wanted for my lifetime career.
Back to the drawing board.
The point of me telling you that story is I didn’t know what I wanted, I just knew I didn’t want to be a bartender anymore.
So I thought of something that interested me and went with it.
Sure, it didn’t work out but at least I didn’t waste 5 years pining over the idea only to find out its not what I actually want to do.
So with that said, you may not know what you want until you actually start testing the waters. So heres my little guide to help you rule out the noise and hone in on your why.
The 5 phases:
Phase 1- make a list.
Generic, I know, but don’t underestimate the power of brainstorming.
This strategy phase forces you to dig deep and find any hidden interest you may have buried over the years.
This is no time for modesty.
What do you like doing? Hobbies? Free-time grabbers? Any industries you are attracted to? Art? Sports? Music? Science? Get that brain thinking in every realm.
Phase 2- seeing is being.
After you’ve got an idea that excites you, try and visualize yourself playing that role.
If you cant actually see yourself being a lawyer, then why waste your time entertaining becoming a lawyer?
Forget the money, forget what your family or friends think. Don’t let the bias of the world force you into a life not meant for you.
You’ll know when the right idea hits you. It’s an intangible awareness like the universe writing you a letter saying “this is it. This is who you ought to be.”
I never saw myself as only being a baker and so ultimately, it’s why it didn’t work out.
Sure, I may enjoy baking, and I may be pretty good at it. But that doesn’t mean it’s what I have to do with the rest of my life.
Don’t stop the search after the first few things don’t work out. You’ll find your way eventually, just have a little faith.
Phase 3- set a goal.
When you come across an idea, run with it. Pick a small objective and make it become a reality.
You can’t rule out an idea unless you’ve physically tried it.
So if you’re trying to become a novelist, set a goal for yourself that by this time next month you will have 20,000 words written. They don’t have to be good words, but achieve that goal.
Phase 4- just get started.
Don’t put in too much thought and try to work out every detail. All this does is keep you stuck in strategy phase and cease you from brining fruition to your dream.
I’m still in the baby stages of pursuing my next endeavor of becoming a blogger, but i’m doing it. I’m writing posts, learning graphic design, and taking classes on how to build a top-notch website.
Sure, my blog may not be the best there is at the moment, and people may not be too enthralled by my work, but the only way i’m going to get better is by actually doing it.
Phase 5- make a deadline.
Holding yourself accountable is THE MOST IMPORTANT FACTOR.
Your time is just as much a cost when calculating the start up of your business.
Monetary denomination aside, if you put off to tomorrow what should be done today you will waste months of unnecessary time.
So the idea of knowing what you want is just a misinformed stigma society convinced us is a thing.
It’s more learning what you’re good at to become who you are.
Don’t give up on yourself, it’s never too late to start!
Stay present. Sending vibrations of reinvention your way <3
xO
Ariana