Transplanting, growing and thriving: some thoughts on success

Posted on | June 19, 2009 | 29 Comments

raspberry

I planted raspberry canes in one of the six beds over in my mother in-law’s yard our first summer here (has it really been three years?) but as with everything over there, they didn’t get enough sun. This spring I dug them up and moved them to a very sunny spot on the side of the front porch along with a dozen other new canes and they’re looking great. They remind me that it’s sometimes difficult for some of us to adapt to transplanting. That sometimes it’s hard to find the exact right combination of elements needed to help someone grow and thrive. Sometimes we have to try a lot of things to figure out what doesn‘t work first.

Like me. Since moving from New York to Ohio I have needed to try a lot of things to find what makes me grow and thrive. Some of those things made my roots so dry they couldn’t take in any nutrients at all, and they shaded me so much that I produced no fruit.

But all of this trying has made me dizzy and I feel starved for some sense of success. Looking back at all of this transplanting from idea to idea, I see that I’m a great starter, but lose interest quickly. I fall down on the follow-through. I love to take the spark of an idea and flesh out all of the details in my mind and sometimes on paper, but rarely manage to take the bigger ones through to implementation. I don’t even want to tell you how many domain names I’ve purchased in the last five years, all with nebulous business ideas attached to them.

I want to know why.

I’m tired of waving my hand and dismissing myself with the same old phrases:

I get distracted too easily.

I’m working on too many things at one time.

There aren’t enough hours in the day.

I’m still discovering what I want to do when I grow up.

I don’t think the story I’ve always told myself is the whole story. It goes a lot deeper than that and I think I’m ready to start digging. Our situation demands that I pick up the psychic shovel and push. I don’t want to keep spinning my wheels like this forever and I have this idea that I think is viable and sustainable and that gets me excited every time I open up my spread sheet to add more information to my plan.

But I’m afraid:

That what I want to do is already done by somebody else and so much better (even if it is far away in another city or state).

That I don’t have the stamina or knowledge or patience to manage all of the aspects of the business I want to start.

That I won’t get the support I need from home because we’re so fragmented here, all managing what’s in front of us and doing nothing much together.

That I won’t be able to get the capital I need to get it off the ground and flying.

That I will start yet one more thing and not finish and have this one truly incredible idea to add to the heap of bones in my dreamyard.

That the real reason I haven’t had any wild success is because I’m just not meant to. I was born to be mediocre.

That I won’t know how to deal with rules and regulations and bureaucrats.

That in dealing with the bureaucrats I will look, sound and feel incompetent and stupid and like a dewy-eyed dreamer.

That I really am stupid and the idea isn’t even close to viable or sustainable and I’m so stupid I can’t even see that.

That someone else is going to get there first and they’re going to rock this idea instead of me.

That I’m missing something. Something big and important.

That financial success will mean spiritual failure.

So I keep opening that spread sheet to add details. I have a list of people I need to call and I put off calling because of that dewy-eyed dreamer thing. But I keep adding names and numbers and my list of questions grows.

Soon.

I tell myself:

Listen…it’s only pizza. It’s not as if you want to open a hotel. It’s a truck with an oven and good, local, seasonal ingredients. It’s a few tables and a cooler and umbrellas. It’s permits and fees and taxes. It’s marketing and making. You can do this. Just do it one bit at a time. Really, now. It’s only pizza.

If I can do it? It means a part-time gig that generates an alternate and much-needed revenue stream for my family and is a nice counterbalance to the computer-intensive writing and graphic design work I also do part-time. It will allow me to participate in the incredible downtown revitalization that’s happening right now in my community.

Oh, and making it truly successful, I’ll get paid to do something I love: feed people.

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Category: Eat Local, Education, Food & Nourishment, Handmade, Money, Work
Tags: downtown > entrepreneur > growing > local > Money > small business > success > transplanting > Work

Comments

29 Responses to “Transplanting, growing and thriving: some thoughts on success”

TJ Sondermann
June 19th, 2009 @ 1:15 pm

Wishing I had some really sage advice or pointers to others with really sage advice, but I don’t.

So I’ll say this:

I love pizza. And buying local. And revitalization (personal and economic).

Do it.

[Reply]
Darcy
June 19th, 2009 @ 1:17 pm

Kelly, I don’t know if or how I could help you, but here are things I love and am passionate about: people doing what makes them happy for work, crossing anything off a list, calling people I don’t know to get help or information from them and if they don’t have it, asking where to go next. I am about to get super busy with school, I think, but if there’s any one little bit of help I can give you, please, I’d love to help. Your writing has given me so much, I would be honored to give something back. Even this post, how true for me, too. I’ve done so many things and only just now feeling like I’ve found a good fit and even with that, I have no idea what I’ll do with this education once I’m done. But I’m an excellent cheerleader and prodder-along. Feel free to use me if you can.

[Reply]
supa
June 19th, 2009 @ 1:17 pm

oh my god.

just.

word for word. my thoughts and fears these days. replace “pizza” with whatever it is i think i want to do, though.

you can do this. let yourself be successful. there’s room in the world for that.

(here via twitter.) (glad i came.)

[Reply]
Transplanting, growing and thriving: some thoughts on success | Web 2.0 Designer
June 19th, 2009 @ 1:48 pm

[...] See original here: Transplanting, growing and thriving: some thoughts on success [...]
eve
June 19th, 2009 @ 1:57 pm

The Small Business Development Center…down here in Columbus can help you through all the hurdles of starting a biz & it’s free. http://sbdcfreeadvice.ning.com/

Maybe you have one up there?

Also, a woman I know raves about this report: Kolbe, that helps explain personality traits. She, the woman who loves this report, was so glad to find out she was a fast start person…who gets projects going but doesn’t see them to the end. She’s a seed-planter, encourager, but not the harvester. Sounds a bit familiar.
http://www.kolbe.com/

My blessings to you. It’s hard sometimes to just sit down and let ourselves BE. Always having to DO. Opportunity is there, in the being.

[Reply]
Kelly
June 19th, 2009 @ 3:55 pm

thanks for the encouragement, TJ!

[Reply]
Kelly
June 19th, 2009 @ 3:56 pm

Darcy, you are a sweetheart!

Just your encouraging words are so helpful. I’m making next week a week of action. I know I can do this!

Kick butt with your schooling, lady.

[Reply]
Lisa
June 19th, 2009 @ 3:57 pm

Kelly, I don’t know what to say other than “You CAN do it!” You’re amazing. You rock. You inspire. You can do this. Do I need to come over tomorrow afternoon and kick your butt into gear? Anything I can do to help, let me know, OK? I want to see you succeed, because you so deserve it, lady.

[Reply]
Kelly
June 19th, 2009 @ 3:57 pm

Eve, that’s so funny you mention the SBA…ours in Portage County is offering a small business startup workshop for free and I’m making that my first call on Monday. My second call to the health department to find out what exactly I need to do with them. thanks a million, friend.

[Reply]
Kelly
June 19th, 2009 @ 3:59 pm

supa, thanks so much for popping over to read and for saying there’s room in the world for my success. I need to trust that!

[Reply]
Kathy
June 19th, 2009 @ 4:03 pm

I sure relate to these feelings. I’m a much better starter than I am at completing tasks. But, your idea is fabulous and I will have un-ending heaps of encouragement and support for you!

[Reply]
Kathie
June 19th, 2009 @ 4:05 pm

I too am a notorious dreamer, not the world’s best “doer” however. I’m working on it. I’m glad to see others like yourself are too…

I wish you were local to me, because just yum. I’m sending many “successful” vibes your way.

[Reply]
Cat B
June 19th, 2009 @ 8:03 pm

Hey, mddddddf, go for your dream—whatever is true to you. You are an AMAZING cook!! I like what Jack Canfield says about fear—to disappear it simply envision success at whatever you want. Don’t think about other stuff—just envision your dream! Then go for it!! We are solidly behind you! A pizza cart sounds like fun!!! Can you bring us a slice??!!

[Reply]
kelly
June 21st, 2009 @ 9:39 pm

I know this fear, what if….what if…It creeps up on me too. But, I’m working on conquering it each new step. And, surprise…it is happening. It will happen for you, Kel. It will. Go for it!

[Reply]
thordora
June 22nd, 2009 @ 12:36 am

I know that fear. I’m finally taking steps towards a nursing career, one which will hopefully lead me to midwifery in 10 years or so, or somewhere like that.

Slightly terrified. But exhiliarated at the same time.

[Reply]
Kelly
June 22nd, 2009 @ 6:26 am

Lisa, thank you! It’s extra super having locals in my corner!

[Reply]
Kelly
June 22nd, 2009 @ 6:26 am

thanks, Kathy. I always feel so envious of those Type A people who are really organized and focused. Good to know I’m not the only one.

[Reply]
Kelly
June 22nd, 2009 @ 6:27 am

thanks, Kathie! Seems like a lot of us are working on coming out of the dream fog and making them a reality. How excellent that we can cheer one another on!

[Reply]
Kelly
June 22nd, 2009 @ 6:29 am

Cat-I’ve been working with some of the Canfield stuff and this other book Write it Down, Make it Happen…same principals. Thanks for believing in me. xo.

[Reply]
Kelly
June 22nd, 2009 @ 6:29 am

here’s to both of us pushing through the fear, Kelly!

[Reply]
Kelly
June 22nd, 2009 @ 6:30 am

Theodora, good luck with the many steps ahead!

[Reply]
Jennifer (Baklava Queen)
June 22nd, 2009 @ 6:41 am

In the face of all those nagging thoughts and dark clouds, think of this as a very good reason for moving ahead: Because you are YOU, and you have many excellent ideas and enthusiasm and love of what you do, and you can make a difference in your little part of the world. You CAN!

And when you get the pizza biz up and running, give me a shout. I am always down with excellent local pizza.

[Reply]
slouchy
June 22nd, 2009 @ 11:14 am

raising hand.

yep.

me, too: falling down on the follow-through.

here’s to all of us finally following through, whether now or months or years from now. as long as we do it: use, not waste, these lives of ours.

[Reply]
Lisa Stone
June 29th, 2009 @ 2:07 pm

Kelly, what a fantastic and inspirational post. Bravo! Elisa, Jory and I have voted and you are BlogHer of the Week.

There’s no way to know the answers to all these questions before you go for it, of course. We hope you’ll listen to that little voice inside that wants to follow your dream no matter what. Go for it. If you can run a business as well as you can write, we predict great things

Best,
Lisa

[Reply]
Kelly
June 29th, 2009 @ 2:34 pm

Wow! Thank you Lisa! This is a real honor!

I’m so grateful for the encouragement — for my writing and for the business idea.

[Reply]
LaskiGal
June 29th, 2009 @ 11:01 pm

This post speaks . . . heck, it SHOUTS!

“It’s only pizza.”

Yeah, and so it is!

(and yet, it will be so, so much more!)

[Reply]
JCK
July 1st, 2009 @ 11:46 pm

We all have heaps of bones in our dreamyard. (Love that turn of phrase, by the way.)And projects that were started and lay still unfinished. All of us. But, you are staring and down and are meant to truly create something. We can all read it here! Good luck on this fantastic dream that will be a reality, and not end up in the dream yard.

And congrats on landing BlogHer of the week!

[Reply]
Emily
July 5th, 2009 @ 9:07 pm

Wow! My first visit to your blog. I have thought most of the same things, and I could not have verbalized it so well. And, I have not made even a mental list of my fears, never mind writing them down concretely. I suppose the next step would be refuting them all…but, that just adds more detail to the notebook!

So if you open the pizza truck…and then somebody else does the same…then there will be two, but yours will have its corner (in more ways than one!) and it will keep you on your toes. Taking your perspective for a moment actually made me feel like a capitalist for a second! Competition is not evil if it steps up your game, …I hope I can take my own advice.

Nothing beats local homemade pizza.

[Reply]
Kelly
July 11th, 2009 @ 10:07 pm

Emily, thanks so much for your wise words…a little competition is a good thing.

: )

[Reply]

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