A Fearless February

Lately, I’ve been feeling a little FEARLESS. Since 2023 was my introduction to entrepreneurship, in 2024, I have decided that I am done playing small. I have all the skills I hesitated to develop in 2023: sales, website development, attracting investors, etc. I’m pursuing full force. I think I like this 2024 energy. It’s a new hype, a new perspective, and a new way of experiencing things. 2024 - I’m ready! I’m so glad you’re here. I needed this reset. I’ve been waiting for this moment in time. After starting my career as an entrepreneur a year ago, I’ve learned a lot. I’ve grown a lot. I am ready to dispel fear and step into this new era. I’ve recognized that being FEARLESS is contagious. By moving past my own limitations, I can inspire others to dig deep and do the same. So, fearless it is! I think we all need a new dose of bravery for the year ahead.?

My word for the year is FEARLESS. Towards the end of 2023, I was challenged with entrepreneurial setbacks in a way I never experienced before. Day after day, grant and fellowship applications returned the inevitable “we regret to inform you” taglines in their subject previews. However, I knew that I had to cultivate my resilience to keep going. I learned that commitment isn’t tested in your ability to sustain your effort when things go well but in your ability to persist through challenges and difficulties. 2023 taught me the power of hard work and genuinely standing on business. Even with the challenges that arise, a FEARLESS mindset never backs down. If the door is closed, they’ll find a window. If the window is closed, they’ll go through the garage. There is no stopping someone who doesn’t fear progressing - but believes that progress and success is their birthright.?

Last year, I began to think of my work in entrepreneurship as building a house. Through my faith, the story of Noah’s Ark (Genesis 6) has comforted me during this era of my life. Noah was a man moved by faith to build an arc according to God’s leadership and instruction. After reflecting on Noah’s powerful story, I have decided that I am like Noah. The beauty of Noah’s story is that he didn’t rush to build, he took his time. When others laughed and heckled him, he kept going. Noah’s determination was unshakeable, his faith was unbreakable. Everyday, he showed up for the Ark, even when it rained, snowed, or if there was ice on the ground. Brick by brick, he mastered the day, and eventually seized the moment when it came. Like Noah, I lay a brick every day. One day, I tell myself, I’ll have a house. This embodies a spirit of discipline - a necessary part of getting anything done. Without the discipline to channel our fearlessness into, we won’t have anything lasting to show for our efforts.?

You can’t build Rome in a day, but you can get closer to that goal every day you commit to building. Building requires fearlessness. It requires us to step outside of our comfort zones, to be unafraid of failure, to push past our boundaries and perceived limitations, and to make a proverbial fool of ourselves in the process. Entrepreneurship and entrepreneurs can be foolish. Some of my ideas are foolish. Some of the best visionaries were considered “foolish.” Underneath that foolish behavior is a firm belief, a willingness to risk being wrong in pursuing a vision. In search of that “eureka” moment, we are willing to be simultaneously tenacious and resilient and even risk the embarrassment and ridicule of others. What an extraordinary yet paradoxical ride entrepreneurship can be.

That’s what I want in 2024. I want that boldness, that sense of resolve, and that type of resourcefulness. I want to stand firm in the face of those who doubt or do not believe. I want the unwavering belief that all things work together for good (Romans 8:28). I want the fearlessness of knowing that failure is just one step closer to success. When I adjusted my thinking and centered the lack of fear I wanted to experience, I began to think of my favorite performers and entertainers and the bravery they show in their everyday lives. I always wish to have the “curiosity of a scientist and the passion of an artist.” I admire artists. I admire their vision, their resolve, their bravery, and the way they are willing to metaphorically “suffer” for their craft. Hollywood and fame aren’t for the weak. Before they get their big break, they often face rejection, false starts, pivots, and even public humiliation.?Entrepreneurship is the same way.

Here’s to making 2024 our best - and most fearless year ever.?

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