Two days ago I went sea kayaking for the first time on the Bay Chaleur in the North Atlantic.
I went kayaking once on the Charles River years ago, but aside from it being a dirty-ass, urban river (ew), there are hardly many risks to boating in Cambridge, Massachusetts. The water isn’t very deep. There aren’t any waves or sudden shifts to high-wind and whitecaps on the water. There’s no worry of being dashed into the rocky cliffs by rough seas.
And maybe it’s just me, but I’ve never seen a whale in the Charles River.
On the one hand, I was excited to go kayaking. On the other hand, there were some definite risks (see above.) Not to mention — what if my cell phone fell into the depths? The horror. That might be worse than drowning or being swept out to sea.
The outing had some challenges right from the start. Like how I fell into the water just trying to get INTO my kayak. It was one of those epic falls where you hope to god no one saw you take such a spectacularly ungraceful and embarrassing digger….and in this case the kayak fell over right with me. Yeah. That happened. I still have the bruises to prove it.
Once in the kayak (the kind where your legs go way underneath and you feel like you would get trapped in there if you flipped over), it took some time to get confident in the slightly choppy water. The slightest movement cause considerable tipping to the side, so I tensed up and tried not to move except to paddle. Needless to say, this adventure began with a fair amount of tension.
Fortunately, we had two experienced guides who were taking us on a tour. They knew the area, understood how to stay safe in case of any sudden changes of wind and sea, and they promised to make sure no one was carried off by the current or otherwise left behind.
With their coaching and encouragement, I learned how to relax into the waves. With their assurances, I became more confident that tipping was unlikely. (They were right.) And before I knew it, I was cruising along, enjoying the incredible view and sensation of being on the water. By the end of our two hour tour I was speeding along, able to navigate waves with ease, and it felt like being in that tippy kayak was the most natural thing. The overall experience was worth a couple of bruises and a rocky (literally) start.
Having the right kind of support can have a huge impact on how you experience the circumstances and challenges in front of you. It makes it easier to get up when you fall out of your kayak. It helps you get beyond what feels scary and intimidating at first, until it feels exciting and fun.
There is such tremendous value to even the simplest forms of support. Knowing who to call when you feel stuck. (Yes, please.) Having a sounding board to help with big decisions. (Hallelujah.) Just having someone nearby to tell you you’re not going to tip over. That you’re going to be ok. (Exhale.)
As a solopreneur, it’s hard to go it alone. I don’t believe you should. (I don’t.) And you don’t have to. Your business will grow faster, better and you’ll have more fun when you invest in the right kind of support for your business.
Every time I have invested in support for my business, I have been able to get out from under the fear and insecurity I feel when I’m working alone. This allows me to take bigger, bolder steps forward. My decisions are more confident. My strategy is stronger and I am more certain of myself. When I can let go of all the stress and worry (Is this the right decision? Am I doing this right? What if this doesn’t work?) I have SO much more energy to apply to the things that really matter in my business. And that is the kind of confidence that fuels momentum.
Where are you hesitating in your business because you don’t have support and assurance for how to proceed? What would you be able to accomplish and overcome with the right guidance and support to make sure your business doesn’t capsize or your marketing message doesn’t get swept out to sea?