Unless you are perfect in almost every way like Mary Poppins then odds are you fail from time to time. When it comes to trying to generate self-employed income there are plenty of ways to fail. Especially if you are trying to be innovative in any given area. Being innovative requires you to try new things that haven’t already been tested by others. This can mean that you will conquer a niche market or that you will fail miserably. When your financial future is riding on your success or failure it can be a bit intimidating to try and innovate but if fear of failure keeps you from ever trying then you will never taste the freedom that comes from success.
When I was growing up my mother was a bit protective and would never let me ride my bike very far from the house at all. So I simply didn’t ride that often since there was nowhere that I could really go anyway. I was able to ride my bike just fine but not do any of those things that more able riders could do like riding with one hand or no hands. In 7th grade I went riding with a friend and we rode past the house of a girl who was in our class at school. At that very moment we were in the process of riding out around some people who were taking up half the road walking their dogs. Me being the suave ladies man that I was decided to wave to the girl as we were passing by. I knew that I lacked the skill of riding one handed but that mattered little to my young teenage brain. I lost a bit of control on my bike and at the same time a pickup truck went speeding by around the outside of us. The front wheel of my bike skidded along the side of the truck as it passed and somehow I miraculously was not killed and didn’t even crash. We pulled off onto a side road to recollect our wits and a man on a motorcycle proceeded to curse at me as if I had intentionally almost become road pizza.
So there you have it. I tried to do something new that I was not skilled at and it almost got me killed. I nearly died for the sake of getting a couple seconds of attention from a girl that had no interest in me anyway. When it comes to business decisions it is pretty rare that the things you try might end up being a life or death situation for you, unless of course you’ve borrowed money from the mob.
Be willing to try new approaches to your entrepreneurial pursuits. Be aware of the potential consequences of your actions. Be ready to dive in with all you’ve got when it seems like the right decision but also be able to recognize when the potential risks just aren’t worth it and you need to change course completely. Free yourself to take chances and enjoy the rewards of your efforts