We’ve all heard the big stories about people who have founded groundbreaking companies outside of their day jobs—how the co-founders of Airbnb started their business out of their apartment when they couldn’t make rent, or how Mark Zuckerberg created Facebook out of his college dorm room. Although inspiring, these stories can feel too grandiose and far away to be relatable to the average person.
But what all of these success stories have in common is that someone, somewhere, started working toward a dream or goal before they knew where it would go. That’s it. There was no business plan. There were no investors. There was no market research to inform their thinking. In these cases, actionable steps and forward momentum toward a goal trumped detailed research and planning.
It matters less what you do and matters more that you do. Don’t think of development as a linear path—think of it as a maze. You might go in one direction and quickly hit a dead end, so you try a different route, and this time you get much further before you hit another dead end. You only back up a little to move in yet another direction.
When it comes to making a shift, make an educated guess about which direction to pursue and see where it takes you. You will course-correct along the way. Successful ventures always begin with a series of actionable steps. Someone had an idea and acted on it. It can take several changes in direction before you find a definitive path.
So if you’re reading this and you have a dream, passion or side project you’re secretly itching to pursue, don’t wait for the stars to align before you make a move. If you do, Treadwell says you’ll never get there: “Just because you don’t have it all figured out doesn’t mean you can’t move in the direction you want to go. If you’re waiting for the perfect time or the perfect plan, that’s just not going to happen.”
Here are some things you can start doing today to build your confidence and craft an entrepreneurial mindset:
1. Identify your fears.
When those dreams pop up in your mind, do you immediately engage in negative self-talk? Identify the negative stories you’re telling yourself and change the narrative.
2. Focus on the positive.
Start watching inspiring videos, reading motivational articles and hanging around other positive people.
3. Think about smaller ways you can get started working toward your dream.
For Treadwell, this meant reducing the number of hours she worked at her day job (versus quitting altogether). You might also work outside of your normal business hours or even during your lunch break.
In short, stop planning and start moving toward your dream. What can you do to make a shift and get going?
