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“I’ve had a lot of worries in my life, most of which never happened.” - Mark Twain
Create! (Photo by Tait Campbell)
The only crime in life is doing nothing. If you’re sitting around and not taking action you’re moving society backwards. If there’s something you’re even remotely good at, you should let the world hear/see/experience it.
This has become so apparent to me in the last couple of months that I can hardly believe I didn’t see it before. When I’m timid, don’t act, and worry about what might happen, I end up with nothing. And something is better than nothing.
Here are some examples to illustrate the point from my life, and then a couple from others.
1. Meeting MuseLife Creator David Walsh
A couple of months ago I decided to start TalkMuse.com. It chronicles my adventures in setting up an online business. I created a lot of free content related to setting up websites and marketing but I was starting the doubt the purpose of it all when David contacted me.
We started talking and quickly realized we had a lot of similar goals (his site was called MuseLife after all). After I met him in Philly, I knew he’d be a great business contact, and more importantly, friend.
When I started designing the 007 Lifestyle David was my most trusted ally. He plugged all my information into his awesome M6 Creator (it’s still in development but get on the early sign-up list) and then worked with me to perfect the design, sales copy, and marketing angle. I can’t imagine what would have happened with my ebook package if I hadn’t of met him.
2. Guest Posting
I felt a little bit of trepidation when I first emailed Rob of JetSetLife.tv about guest posting. Why would this extremely successful guy want to use my writing on his site? That fear was destroyed almost instantly as Rob emailed me back excited about my ideas.
Since then I’ve done several other guest posts bringing a lot of new reader traffic, establishing relationships, and even selling a few of my products. I put myself out there, opened myself up for criticism, and good things happened.
3. Girls Are Robots EP Release
My good friend Dan is an incredibly gifted musician. He’s able to create and mix dark synth music that is still pop accessible (that’s my best music critic review).
But, as many talented musicians can attest, he’s a perfectionist. Something that sounds amazing to me sounds a little bit off to Dan. So, after several years of making his own music he’d never created a full length CD.
That is until July 16th when he and his band, Girls Are Robots, released their debut album to the world (for free). And you know what? It’s damn good and a lot of people are letting Dan know it. He’s getting emails from people all over the world who stumbled upon his music and were drawn to it. How cool is that?
Dan finally said ‘F-it’ and put it out there - you can get it for free on their site GirlsAreRobots.com.
4. Sean Ogle
Sean Ogle of Location 180 is responsible for the popular post on this site Gorgeous Girls, Fast Boat, French Riviera. I hadn’t heard of Sean a couple of months ago. But now it’s a different story.
It seems like everywhere I go, Sean is there. He’s been listed on several big sites as a ‘blogger to watch.’
Sean is creating, putting himself out there, and now he’s garnering attention (and blog posts by me!).
Conclusion
Although all of my ideas are not fully developed, through the process of creation I’m shaping Live Uncomfortably and my other sites right before your eyes. And along the way, although things might not be perfect, there are still moments that might inspire others. And if I inspire others, they might create, and their creations will inspire me. And up and up we go.
I’ve begun to realize this “take action” mentality as well. Sometimes I look back at myself in the past and I’m boogled how I never realized I before. But also with this realization it makes you more aware of how many people in the world live there entire live withou “taking action”. I found the hardest part of stepping toward what you want is in taking the first few steps. After take those first steps, things get easier and there is this sort of momentum that builds and helps u along further. Good post. Thanks. This comment reaches my philosophy quota for the day.
Yep. There’s a definite snowball effect once you start taking action. It builds and builds until you have a snow man of happiness and wealth.
Then you can have snowball fights.
And btw jeez after just reading my post I realized how horrible my iphone’s spell check is
Your perspective is so damn refreshing and forward-focused. Serious talent, as you hammer home, is too often kept inside for fear of not being good enough or polished enough to share. Regardless of how much of a struggle it may be, you are crushing it with action and that’s what matters. Action created the Jet Set connection, action created 007 Lifestyle, action created TalkMuse. There’s no stamp of hesitation on any of it. Meeting you and Clay, I realize you are both creators, progressives.
On the wall in front of my desk, I somewhat-maniacally pin up dozens of random reminders and principles that I won’t let myself forget. The one my eyes rest on more than any other says “There is no perfection. There is only done. Perfection is the illusion masking fear. Done is the reality marking progress.”
After reading a critique/bio on DaVinci, I never forgot something about his life. When he casually sketched, he did so with zero hesitation, in an absolute state of flow. Some of his greatest work was his sketches, because he thought they’d never be seen - but his painting was a different story. He literally trembled at the canvas and struggled immensely to create a stroke. He knew his painting would be judged and criticized, and he knew when it was done, he had to give it away. It terrified him and masked itself as perfection. Regardless, he said “f*ck it” and cranked it out. DaVinci would have been a killer muse maker.
Best is yet to come mate.
David
Wow, is there any way to nominate Walsh for “useful and inspirational blog comment of the year”? Or at least a Nobel?
Yeah, Walsh you win, hands down. Everything you do is quality man. Even responding to a blog post. I’m really excited for your M6 creator. I know it’s going to be awesome.
You’ve mentioned some names along with yourself I really think I need to connect with. I think my problem is following through completely with an idea and having enough confidence in myself to do it. I’m trying really hard and making some progress but it all seems so far away right now.
Dan - hey man let’s chat on Skype sometime soon. Maybe I can help point you in the right direction.
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