My First Project Was A Failure

We live in a world that is so fast moving we often forget to reflect on what got us here. The other day, I came across an old sticker I had designed and it reminded me about my first creative project. 

The year was 2013, I was 20 years old and I started a music blog called The Donut Shop. I was already writing for a couple major blogs in LA at the time but I wanted to write about music I was passionate about. I built the website, brought on 15 writers, and we started to create content.

I had no idea what I was doing but looking back now, it set the rest of my life into motion. I learned how to manage a team at a young age, I learned how to stay true to my brand without compromise, and most importantly, I learned how far passion + hard work can get you. I rarely think about The Donut Shop, let alone bring it up in conversation, but the skills I started to cultivate got me to where I am today.

Was my first project a failure? Objectively, yes. The Donut Shop slowly faded into nothing and it never blossomed into what I thought it could be. That being said, personally it was a success. The experience of actually doing something can only be learned through doing. No amount of preparation, advice, or tutorials will give you the same experience or education as actually doing it. 

Whether you’re an artist, entrepreneur, creative, or whatever you want to call yourself, if you’re thinking about doing something, give it a shot, and learn from your mistakes. Don’t worry about being perfect, it’s not attainable.

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