Thanks for joining me. I intend to share the occasional blog here on my website during the journey of The Mustard Button. I hope you enjoy.
What if I fall? Oh, but my darling what if you fly? – Erin Hanson
I have this quote up on the wall of my workshop (well a converted box bedroom!), and it means a great deal to me. My Sister-in-law shared it with me, and it embodies the conflicting emotions you feel when starting out on any new venture or challenge. I’m not blessed with natural confidence, and I often find that I look at the negatives, convincing myself I can’t do something, before I’ve even tried.
But this spoke to me. It gave me the courage to try. It also gave me the courage to fail. And that’s the key.
I’m sure I’ll look back on these words in the future with a little embarrassment, but I know wont look back on starting The Mustard Button with anything like that feeling. I gave it a go. I’m giving it a go! And if I fail, so what? I will have learned a lot, (I’ve learned so much already), and I will have tried my hand at something I am passionate about. I’ve made a few people happy so far and if that’s where it ends, what’s the problem? And what if it works…?
The Mustard Button was started as a form of therapy. I was in a bad place a few months back, and I found comfort in the retreat of making things from some bits and bobs I had around, as a form of distraction. I found that part easy(ish), as I’ve always been quite creative, but I didn’t start out with the notion of starting a business. But then the idea came.
There’s loads of stuff on the internet, and lots of books on starting a business, as well as a tonne of self help material. “Feel the Fear and Do It Anyway” is one such title I can recall, but whose words I don’t, as most of the stuff I’ve read has never really been that applicable to me, or the advice in them never really rang true. I’m not an academic either, and when I tried to research ‘Starting a Business’ there was loads of high-brow stuff about ‘Defining Goals’, Evaluating Yourself’, ‘Writing a Business Plan’ or securing Finance. I was scared by it if I’m brutally honest. More reasons to say no. More excuses I could make.
Instead, I’ve looked to the quote above for my inspiration. ‘Why the hell not?’ is what I take from it mostly. In putting my first foot forward, I’ve also learned there are 5 other things that really matter
- Find and do something you are passionate about. Give some stuff a go. Life is to short to do something you tolerate, or at worst hate.
- Take the first step. The next one is just one more.
- Ignore self limiting thoughts & negative people. Enough said.
- Seek Feedback. Even Usain Bolt gets (got!) feedback from his coach. The customer is always right.
- Be honest with yourself. What’s the point in kidding yourself?
Whether I should have read the books to be successful I guess time will tell, but I can honestly say I’m proud of what I’ve done so far. It hasn’t been expensive and I’ve had a lot of fun doing it. My first step down the runway has been taken. Maybe someday I’ll fly.
Thanks for reading,
Sarah
The Mustard Button 