delicate confidence
I started this week working on a deal with an agency that helps Snoop Dog build his brand online. On Wednesday, I caught up with a friend who works at a Super Sonic Jet company. Our week ended with positive feedback from a major U.S. book publisher who is a customer of our product studio.
I’ll touch on the challenges below, but I am learning a lot after leaving my job last month. It’s been fun.
These interactions, while work-related, are driven by my curiosities. I've been listening, asking questions, and trying to connect the dots. My mind fluctuates from having a clear vision to scrambled eggs, at times, over the course of a few hours. It's an interesting experience. This sense of exploration is not new to me, it’s like meeting with an old friend. I feel like I’m in my freshman year of college again. This time, I have more skills and experience. I’m more sure of myself.
It’s not all roses. I feel more of a sense of exposure. I feel a bit naked, especially without the safety net of a regular paycheck. I have customers to make happy and a team to support, all while thinking about my own personal goals this year.
The decision to stop earning a steady paycheck is unusual. Many never choose this path. Most don’t have the privilege to.
For most of their adult lives, my parents have run various small businesses – real estate, mortgages, commercial financing, and immigration consulting, among others. Some were successful, others not as much. Yet, they've always maintained a slightly stressful yet calm demeanor throughout.
“We're okay. We're just hanging in there,” my father often says.
They have their challenges but are still moving forward with a smile. They carry a delicate yet persistent confidence, believing things will work out. They've taken significant risks throughout their lives to minimize mine. As a result, my starting point—even in failure—is elevated. Their journey has informed my perspective on entrepreneurship.
As I've grown older, I've realized this confidence is delicate for many of us. We alternate between feeling like we can solve the world's problems and wanting to stay in bed all day scrolling TikTok. I think that's fine.
I find myself in a state of delicate confidence now too. It's confident because I trust my abilities, work ethic, and support network. I feel love from my friends, family, and partner. I have past successes to look back to. I have faith in myself to be successful in the future.
Yet, it's delicate because much of what I'm doing now is new to me. The learning curve is steep and uncomfortable. Things may break. I have and will make mistakes. I'm confronting this reality head-on.
Delicate confidence is about finding a balance. Too much delicacy and fear will stop you. Too much confidence and you will miss important lessons. Too much of one will lead to failure. Navigating this fine line, albeit awkward, is exactly where I want to be.
Have you ever experienced this 'delicate confidence'? How do you navigate the balance between fear and bravery in your journey?"
Till next time,
Jay
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