How to Move Beyond the Fear of Not Feeling Ready
Procrastination, perfectionism and lack of confidence can be detrimental…
Especially if YOU are trying to get your jewelry designs out into the world.
Have you ever felt like your collection wasn’t “complete” or “ready” enough to call stores or that your designs weren’t good enough to start selling?
Have you ever felt that you can’t even reach out to editors because your website isn’t perfect or you don’t have your press packet together?
Yeah, me too!
When I started my first business, I made excuses for about 6 months to my husband about why I wasn’t contacting stores or meeting new clients. Excuses like: my collection wasn’t perfect / ready or I didn’t have my line sheets complete.
In reality, I had enough designed to show stores, but I was paralyzed by fear of not feeling good enough. I mean, was I really ready to compete with the big wigs?
However, I needed money coming in the door (my husband reminded me of this regularly) and the only way to do that was to actually go out and sell my jewelry designs (to stores).
Soon, a ‘smack down' with myself occured. It was time to start making stuff happen if I wanted to achieve y my dream of being a well-known designer. No one was going to know who I was if I didn’t get my pieces out there.
So I picked up the phone and called some stores, booked my first appointments and went for it.
(Mind you, in 1998 the only way to make a name for yourself was to sell in stores).
I was terrified because I wanted my collection to be perfect before I showed any stores. I was freaking out inside because I was so worried that the buyers were going to think my line sucked.
Until I realized it was all in my head.
Slowly but surely, orders started coming in and I had an aha moment: I WAS THE PERSON HOLDING MY BUSINESS BACK.
My procrastination and perfectionist attitude was preventing me from making the sales that I needed. I just needed more confidence.