The crack between fear and optimism.
During last month’s workshop on dispelling legal myths and fears, one thing Rebecca said that really struck me was how creative entrepreneurs tend to be optimists.
It struck me because I think it’s true.
And yet it’s not.
Let’s face it. We’re a pretty terrified bunch.
Afraid of putting ourselves out there. Afraid we won’t be liked. Afraid of playing big. Afraid we’ll end up living in a box under a bridge.
In my opinion, the number one skill set of a creative entrepreneur is not that of one’s professional expertise or marketing, it’s knowing how to manage and work with your fears.
Because fear shows up. A lot.
And yet we remain optimists. I guess we have to. You couldn’t do this crazy thing we call self-employment every day unless somewhere inside you were relatively confident it was all going to work out – one way or another.
Which turns out to leave big areas of our businesses ignored and vulnerable.
Please allow me to illustrate.
On the fear side, for example, a dwindling bank account will force you to get over any discomfort with marketing.
On the optimism side, your passion and vision for your work will compel you to create and publish (despite your fears).
But in the middle, the two amplify one another.
Optimism blocks you from acknowledging what could go wrong, while Fear interferes with you taking action.
And the stuff I think most often falls in the middle? Financial stuff, legal stuff and technology stuff.
Making money: awesome!
Not making money: sucktastic!
Looking at and understanding your money: bleargh! [sound of quickly retreating footsteps...]
Successful projects: wahoo!
Feeling like you’ve partnered with the client from hell: nightmare!
Agreements that ensure clear communication and expectations: ack! [lalalalala - I can't hear you...]
The latest gizmo, service or program: neat-o!
A completely wonky webpage: hair-pulling!
Backing up your data: too busy! later, later, later [nothing's gone wrong before...]
Generally speaking, our worries of failure and dreams of success are at least somewhat exaggerated. I don’t know of anyone who ended up living in a box under a bridge. Nor do I know anyone who became an overnight rock star.
One of the reasons managing one’s fears (and hopes) is so essential is how abstract and distorted they can be. One is always having to ground oneself in reality.
And the reality is this: while you are highly unlikely to end up living in a box (no matter what your lizard brain asserts to the contrary), there is a decent chance -
- you’ll need to show your books to the IRS
- someone will plagiarize your work
- your computer will crash or your site will be hacked
It seems to me, preventing these sorts of things from being devastating is relatively easy compared to avoiding living in a box (or just worrying about it all the time). And it’s not like they don’t have anything to do with not ending up in said box.
Yet we don’t do them. And I don’t get it.
Somehow it’s all scarier and more intimidating than the abstract fears we’re more willing to admit and talk about. Maybe because we know they are more real.
Well, there’s your resistance.
Perhaps reality is less sexy than fantasy – even when it comes to business fears – but it’s not like there’s a lack of potential drama here. Or safe environments in which to work on this stuff. Or useful tools. Or compassionate experts to help you.
If you’re serious about the stability and security of your business…
If you want your optimism to be well-founded…
If you just want less to worry about, less fear to manage…
… don’t let the stuff in the middle fall through the cracks.
• • • • •
You can work on your technology stuff this Thursday – in a safe environment, with a compassionate expert. Join me and technology-to-english translator Wendy Cholbi for a special Bite the Candy workshop: Backups & Upgrades Without Tears.
And if you want to explore legal or financial stuff, check out past workshops with creativity lawyer Rebecca Prien and heart-based bookkeeper Jessica Reagan Salzman.
• • • • •
Related posts:
Organized under Uncategorized.
709 days ago,
Jessica said:
You have described me perfectly. I love what I’m doing with my life I just hate (fear) the structural stuff involved in any business. How I managed to be a successful lawyer for so long completely amazes me now that I work for myself. I have some great tools that I just need to commit to and I will definitely check out some of your past workshop stuff! It’s always nice to have a reminder that I’m not alone in this stuff.
709 days ago,
Cairene said:
@Jessica
You have sooo much company. I mean, the really good company of smart, committed people. We all struggle with this stuff (even those of us who supposedly know better). oxo Cairene
709 days ago,
Liz said:
Cairene,
I totally agree that creative entrepreneurs tend to be incredibly optimistic- perhaps even to a fault. In my view, this has a lot to do with the fact that so many of us are right-brained thinkers… and I think this right-brained tendency might explain even more about why we run screaming from the room whenever anybody starts talking financial, legal or technology at us.
Here are just a few things that come to mind for me:
Right brained thinkers are great at big picture thinking as your examples highlight. (I’m headed for Oprah… or I’m headed for the box under the bridge!)
Attending to details (as required for accurate books, solid contracts or functioning technology) for any length of time is not something that right-brained folks typically enjoy!
And then there’s the perfectionistic tendencies… We have to regularly talk ourselves down from the perils of procrastifectionism to produce and share our creative work.
I think it’s so much harder to do this with the kinds of things where there really is a ‘right’ answer. Better to ignore the books than to spend hours tearing our hair out looking for the missing $9. Financial, legal and techno stuff seems to be the kind of thing where if it’s not perfect, there really can be a problem. And if you don’t have the skills to make it perfect, maybe it’s better not to even try.
Related to this is that I think right-brainers tend to be more comfortable with uncertainty than left-brained types. This tendency has it’s advantages and it’s disadvantages when it comes to running a biz.
It’s great because we can live with the uncertainty of not knowing when, how or if our little thing is going to make it in the world… and it’s not so great because we can agree to a job not knowing when, how or if we’re going to get paid!
More food for thought!
709 days ago,
Cairene said:
@Liz -
So many good points here. And I love the word procrastifectionism.
I read this thinking, “But finance, legal & techno stuff doesn’t have to be right or perfect to work…”
And I guess that’s what I take for granted with this stuff. I really do feel you can do it your own way in your own style (or get help from experts who are sympathetic to your style). And that there really is such a thing as good enough.
We’ve just been taught otherwise by the folks who think finding the missing $9 is more important than looking at the relatively accurate big picture that slightly imperfect data would give us.
And I think buying into that mistaken belief robs us of knowledge and confidence – and ultimately success.
Also, I’m not sure I agree that creatives aren’t good at details. I’ve yet to meet a creative who wasn’t almost compulsive about finessing the right word, color or composition. We’re very good at attending to the details we care about.
But if we’re going to make a go at this entrepreneurial thing, I think we have to expand the details we care about. And educate ourselves about why they matter. And talk ourselves down from the same perils of procrastifectionism in doing admin work that interfere with our creative work.
[note: In encouraging people to attend to this stuff, I'm not saying you need to handle all those details personally. There are only so many details one person can handle. But I am saying get them handled one way or another.]
Thanks for sharing all this great food for thought!
oxo Cairene
709 days ago,
Jess said:
The assertion that both our fears and wildest dreams are probably exaggerated brings a HUGE measure of relief, because to be honest, both sides of that coin are a bit frightening for baby birds like me. And it’s one of the most grounded assessments and pieces of advice I’ve heard in some time. Thanks, Cairene!
709 days ago,
Liz said:
I stole procrastifectionism from some other really smart person!
And just to clarify one tiny thing… I didn’t mean to suggest that creatives aren’t good at details, only that those details that fall outside the ‘what I love’ and ‘what I’m good at’ circles can be overwhelming.
Which is why it’s such a good idea to find people who do like and are good at these things and get them to help! Everybody wins!
.-= Liz´s last blog ..Sunrise, Sunset… =-.
701 days ago,
Cairene said:
For reference – and to give proper credit where it’s due – the origin of procrastifectionism.