A few years ago I was faced with a decision

I could go with the “safe” option which would buy me some time, teach me some things, and provide me with a steady and stable income OR I could go with my Big Hairy Audacious Goal (BHAG) which was to start my own business while working at a Higher end facility. The BHAG filled me with excitement and was more along the lines of what I really wanted to eventually do with my life.

I wish I could tell you that I went with the BHAG but I didn’t. Instead, I went with the safe route believing that in the end, the stable choice would be the best choice. I also did not think I was good enough to fulfil all parts of the BHAG.

I didn’t totally believe that the stable choice was the best choice because in my journal the week before I actually accepted the stable job I wrote in my journal: “I don’t think I should do this. I don’t think this is the right course of action for my life.”

Yet I did not listen. I went ahead and proceeded to take the stable choice and ended up failing miserably after only six months. A chance phone call 8 months later set in motion me actually fulfilling my BHAG. All the stuff about me not being good enough went out the window and all I could think about was: “Why didn’t I do this sooner?”

So if I could tell you anything (especially women) I would tell you that you should. You should because:

All you have is NOW

We tell ourselves we will do this in some future space because that’s when it will be the RIGHT TIME. True enough, we shouldn’t rush decisions and we shouldn’t make major life decisions on a whim but all we have is this present moment. If you have a Big Hairy Audacious Goal that is burning inside of you, then NOW is the perfect time to get started. Not next year, not next decade, not tomorrow. NOW. It’s all you have. Use it.

You don’t need to have all the answers before you start

I will be the first to admit that I didn’t know ANYTHING about being an entrepreneur or running a business but I didn’t have to stay that way. I asked questions, I found mentors, I read books, I went to conferences, I went to seminars, etc.

I did not need to have all the answers before I started and you don’t either. You just have to be willing to learn, grow and have a teachable mindset. If you already think you have all of the answers, then you will fail miserably.

There is no one better than you and you are enough

Years ago I had the privilege of hearing the political legend, Donna Brazile speak at a women’s conference. When telling us WHY we should pursue the deep down burning desires of our heart she said —

“Why you? Because there is no one better and because tomorrow is not soon enough” — Donna Brazile

Women never think they are good enough. We always like to downplay our value and what we bring to the table. Men rarely have this problem.

You should because you believe in your cause and because you are passionate about it. There is no one better to represent a cause than someone who believes in it and is passionate about it.

It’s Bigger than you. It’s about Lives you touch and a Legacy.

I have also had the privilege of listening to Leymah Gwobee who won the Nobel Peace Prize for bringing peace to her home country of Liberia. She and the other women were tired of the endless wars that plagued their homeland so they got together and started a movement for peace.

That was crazy to believe that these women, these mothers, these widows could make a difference but they did and they have a legacy that is bigger than themselves.

I will never forget her words to the women in the audience during her talk.

In order to leave a legacy, you must do something crazy. You must do something outrageous. In our society, deciding to take a risk from stability for what you are passionate about is crazy and outrageous.

Other women will look to you and be inspired. If you have daughters, then they will be inspired by their trailblazing Mama and they will know they can as well.

You need to Challenge Yourself

One of the moments I knew I made a huge mistake with the safe stable position was hearing someone say: “I’m comfortable.”

Being comfortable to me was something to be avoided. When you’re comfortable, then you’re not learning and growing. You’re not challenging yourself to take it to the next level. Comfortable is right next to complacency and thus begins the drift into the mundane.

Nothing wears down a smart person more than being bored and not challenged.

Often we don’t need to take on more projects. We need to take on BETTER projects.

You Should

The highest paid actor is not the best thespian. Some of the most popular singers are not the best singers.

The people who should not, do.

The people who should are too afraid and allow themselves to shrink back in fear.

Then we all complain that everything is crap. Why is it crap? The people that should be doing it are too afraid but the people that should sit down somewhere do not allow themselves to be afraid.

They believe that they should.

So why not you?

When it all comes down to it…You should because YOU should.