Lately I am reading all the right kind of books for where I am in life.
I started off with See Jane Win, a book that details the factors behind 1,000 girls becoming successful women. For further information I suggest reading Valerie's Read Along.
After going to the library and checking out three more books I devoured Ladies who Launch in a day and a half, stopping more times than I can count to copy out interesting quotes that I can across. Ladies who Launch is about "embracing entrepreneurship and creativity as a lifestyle." What this book does is gives you a platform (and one heck of a push) on which to "launch" your projects, whether it is starting a business, getting married or even just bettering your social life.
Knowing how I have struggled with viewing myself as ready to launch a photography business this book was honestly exactly what I needed. Allow me to demonstrate.
Imagine it:
"When you think big and dream, resistance can come at you in a swarm... you can suddenly think of ten reasons why [it's] nearly impossibly, you'd be overly committed... you begin to think you have too little experience. Many people would look at these objections or worries as reasons to stop. It's important to turn these thoughts around and embrace your hesitations. Seeing what you resist and acknowledging what those things are is the first step towards overcoming them."
Speak it:
"Finding your own unique voice means getting used to saying what it is you do (or want to do), and allows you to start feeling authentic about it. It's easy to feel like a fraud at first."
"By letting information out into the world you're making it possible for others to play a role in helping or supporting your cause. People can't help you if they don't know what it is you are imagining."
"Verbalizing thoughts is a way to process them or get to the essence of something. When an idea is lodged inside us, sometimes speaking about it is one of the scariest things we can do. By taking the risk and overcoming the fear, you let the creation process build momentum."
Do it:
"When you're enthusiastic about an idea and going for it with all your heart and passion, the universe, people and circumstances line up behind you to make it possible."
"The trick is to prevent the paralysis before it sets in, and not to think that everything has to be done right now. If you take one step, then another and another, before you know it you will be where you want to go."
"Being independent means the risk of being in business falls on your shoulders. Is it scary? Yes. But it also teaches you, in the fastest way possible, how to speak up for yourself and make sure you get what you want."
"It's important to trust that things will happen at the exact time that you can actually handle them."
Celebrate it:
"Any movement is a sign of things to come and through tiny steps, big things will happen. Shift your focus from being productive to taking pleasure in what has already been created. It doesn't matter if the creation is imperfect, unfinished or still in process. It was nothing and now it's something, so celebrate."
Can you now begin to understand just how much I needed to read this book?
(Next up are The Intelligent Entrepreneur and Real You Incorporated. Then, perhaps, I'll get back in to some fiction.)
