Have you ever jumped out of a plane? Gone bungee jumping? Jumped off a cliff? I have. Well, not bungee jumping, but that’s not important. What is important is the word jump; going all in, to the point where you can’t turn back. It sounds scary, and it is. But, taking a risk in life on yourself, or in a business is what makes everything great. It’s time to stop worrying about what can go wrong and start getting excited about what can go right.
In Elizabeth Gore’s article Forget Unicorns. You Should Aspire to Be a Phoenix, she speaks about women entrepreneurs not needing to find the “unicorn”, a term for a start up company valued at over $1 billion. Instead, she suggests becoming the phoenix, a bird that symbolizes rising up with strength and compassion. When I think of any strong female role model, these characteristics are at the top of the list.
Women have just as much, if not more, ambition than men. Yet men will take bigger risks without questioning. As women, we tend to overthink what could go wrong, and if we think of too many negatives we will stray away from jumping.
While her article was all about woman in the business world, I feel the core concept can be applied to any part of life. For me, I became a phoenix when I jumped on a plane and moved to San Francisco, a city where I knew not one person, and to start Grad school for a profession I knew nothing about. Having now been here for only a little over a year, I love this city and every person I meet seems to be more welcoming and kind than the last.
Starting a business is difficult and takes patience, strength and dedication. Most women have these things running through their veins, making for the perfect entrepreneur. Take some time to figure out how you can become your own phoenix. Whether you want to start a business, change your career, or help others in need. You have it in you. You just have to jump!
Here are some clips to get you motivated!
