{"id":66,"date":"2013-09-19T19:21:00","date_gmt":"2013-09-19T23:21:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/freelancetofreedomproject.com\/?p=66"},"modified":"2021-10-19T14:45:39","modified_gmt":"2021-10-19T18:45:39","slug":"the-power-of-starting-something-stupid","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/freelancetofreedomproject.com\/the-power-of-starting-something-stupid\/","title":{"rendered":"The Power of Starting Something Stupid. These People Did It, So Can You."},"content":{"rendered":"\n

From the start of my freelancing entrepreneur journey, books and blogs have been the source of all my inspiration and motivation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

When we are stuck in a conventional life, surrounded by other people doing conventional things, we naturally think that \u201cthis\u201d is just the way life is.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But once we\u2019re introduced to someone doing something different or a book that shows us a different way to live life- it\u2019s hard to go back to living average without desiring something more.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"The<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Among the many books that have influenced my journey recently is \u201cThe Power of Starting Something Stupid\u201d by Richie Norton.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The premise of the book is that the most life-changing technologies, businesses, and success-stories started off as a conventionally stupid idea. And that to really live a happy, fullfilled, authentic life, we need to act on our \u201cstupid\u201d ideas.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Richie Norton shows the reader that we must learn how to crush fear, forget procrastination, make no excuses, end pride, and be authentic with our \u201cstupid ideas\u201d- wrapping this all into what he calls the New Smart.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

So when thinking about the Freelance to Freedom Project tribe (that\u2019s you!), I thought you might be able to use some motivation from other people who have done stupid things and are grateful for having done so.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

So I reached out to some awesome people and asked them to respond to one question:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What is one conventionally \u201cstupid\u201d thing you did in your career without which, you wouldn\u2019t be where you are today?<\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

AND HERE\u2019S WHAT THEY HAD TO SAY:<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Corbett Barr- The Man Behind\u00a0Think Traffic<\/a><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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I left my safe and prestigious consulting job to start a business. At the time (in 2006), it was conventionally \u201cstupid\u201d to leave a comfortable and high-paying career for the uncertainty of a startup. If I hadn\u2019t made that leap, my entire life would be so much different than it is now. I\u2019m so glad I ignored the conventional advice.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/a><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Paul Jarvis, Author of Be Awesome At Online Business and web designer @\u00a0prjvs.com<\/a><\/a><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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I quit making websites for professional athletes in the NFL, NBA and NHL.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

On the surface it sounds like a dream job. I got to go to any games I wanted and travel to see the playoffs in person. The only problem was that I really don\u2019t like pro sports. Leaving clients like that behind was the best thing I did because it opened myself (and my schedule) up to take on work I actually enjoyed doing and allowed me the space to take on projects that were a better fit for me personally. Now I have a career I don\u2019t hate, because I built it on my own personal values.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Rebecca Merrifield, Marketing Maven @\u00a0The Marketing Movement<\/a><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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I turned up to a job interview for a marketing position in March and told the interviewer (the CEO) I didn\u2019t actually want the job (a full-time, perm position) but that I would be a Consultant for them instead and proceeded to tell him all the reasons why that would be more beneficial for his business. The result- I got my first consulting gig, which has paid the bills, given me a higer level of experience and has allowed me time to work on my online business as well!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Tom Ewer, freelance writer and blogger @\u00a0Leaving Work Behind<\/a><\/a><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The conventionally \u201cstupid\u201d thing I did without which I wouldn\u2019t be where I am today was quitting my job when I was only making a few hundred bucks per month. My outgoings were more like $3,500 per month and people thought I was crazy. However, I did my best to remove emotion from the equation and objectively and quantifiably assessed my chances of building up a sustainable income over the following six months or so. Fortunately my calculations were correct and now, nearly two years later, I make far more than I ever did in my previous job!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If I hadn\u2019t taken the plunge then, I\u2019d probably be far behind where I am now (or possibly still even in my job).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Rebecca Tracey, Life-Switch Coach + Professional Adventure Instigator @\u00a0Uncaged Life<\/a><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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When I started my business, I immediately bought a van and went on a 7 month rock climbing roadtrip. They say a new business needs your full time attention, and I was only able to give it my very part-time love. And it worked! It gave me the time explore different ways of working with people, it let me try out location independence and see how I liked it, and it took the pressure off of having to make everything work NOW. I wouldn\u2019t recommend everyone do this, but it certainly taught me many business lessons that I wouldn\u2019t have learned had I taken the safe route!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

SarahXO, circus performer, blogger and freelance web designer @\u00a0SillyGrrl<\/a><\/a><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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The conventionally stupid thing I did was leaving my job with a mortgage to pay all on my own. Most people would probably call that crazy, but if I wanted to escape the cube and work for myself I had to cross my fingers and just go for it. Couldn\u2019t wait for anyone else to help me out!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Amanda Aitken, psychic brander, incurable creator and the founder of\u00a0The Girl\u2019s Guide Courses<\/a><\/a><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

A couple of years ago, I turned down a book deal from a major publisher. After finding me through my online course, The Girl\u2019s Guide to Web Design, they wanted me to write a book aimed at beginners to web design. At first, this sounded like an incredible opportunity \u2013 but I had SO many exciting plans for how I could better serve and teach my students that year\u2026and I just didn\u2019t feel right about spending my time writing a book that was \u201cjust\u201d about HTML and CSS. My mission is much deeper than that \u2013 I\u2019m here to empower women to wake up to magical new possibilities by expressing themselves and launching businesses online \u2013 so I said \u201cno\u201d to the deal. I don\u2019t regret it for a minute!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Heather Thorkleson, Bullshit-slaying life & biz strategist @\u00a0heatherthorkelson.com<\/a><\/a><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Back when I started working for a big pharma company, the only reason I was there other than to pay off university debt was to potentially be eligible for a Global Health Fellowship (6 month paid fellowship in a developing country) down the road.  The caveat was that I needed to put in 5 years with the company to be eligible.  So when the Director of Sales asked me at a nationwide meeting, two weeks into my contract, where I saw myself going with the company, I said, \u201cI want you guys to send me on a Global Health Fellowship if I\u2019m still here in 5 years.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Cheeky?  Maybe.  He was taken aback, and my co-workers who overheard were horrified because the economic climate at the time made most people bend over backwards to please \u2018the company\u2019.  I was like some kind of brazen loose cannon in their eyes.  But 5 years later, I sent an email to that same Sales Director and said, \u201cI\u2019ve been accepted for a position in Cape Town and I need you to sign off to make it happen.\u201d  He signed, congratulated me on my tenacity, and I went to Africa for 6 months.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Nobody, not one single person, thought it was a good idea for me to tell the company I expected something back from them beyond my salary.  But to me it was a no-brainer.  And my work in Africa was precisely what led me to the realization that I could never do work again that wasn\u2019t directly in service of others.  It altered my heart fundamentally. It woke me up. I left the company a few months after my return from Africa and now I spend every day all day helping people.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Shenee Howard, business activator and brand creator @\u00a0Hey Shenee<\/a><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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I launched my first course on a list of under 120 people. It was January 2012. I knew I needed to do something DIFFERENT but I wasn\u2019t sure what to do and I knew teaching was something I could be good at. Everyone told me that I needed at least 1000 people on my list to launch a successful class but I sold out that one and every one since then and I JUST got my list over 1000 a few months ago. You can\u2019t wait for other people to tell you it\u2019s the right time to do something. Sometimes you just gotta do it. What is the worst that could happen?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Dave Conrey, No B.S. straight talk approach to creative pursuits @\u00a0Fresh Rag<\/a><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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I think \u201cconventionally stupid\u201d is relative to the people on the outside looking in at our actions, so I rarely think in terms of what would be considered foolish by others. That said, I think the most profound thing I\u2019ve done that most people would call stupid is when I shared a post on my blog entitled, \u201cI am Unemployable\u201d. It was a post dedicated to the idea that I was eventually going to leave my corporate 9 to 5 job as a magazine art director, and venture out on my own to pursue my passion of helping creative individuals grow their business. If anyone from my company had read that post (and I\u2019m sure some did), they would have called me dumb and\/or crazy because it was a sure fire way to get myself fired. I didn\u2019t get fired right away, but the post changed my mindset, and I spent the next 3 months wondering how much longer I would put up with the crap at my job. Then one faithful Monday, I got the pink slip I wanted. I was laid off after 10 years with the company, and it was the best (and scariest) day of my life. I wouldn\u2019t be where I am now if I hadn\u2019t written that post.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Christie Halmick- Creative courses for the DIY entrepreneur\u00a0 @\u00a0Jewels Branch<\/a><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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I left my job as art director of St. Louis\u2019s premiere bridal and tourism magazines. A few months before I left, I\u2019d successfully negotiated a 40 percent salary raise for myself and got the go ahead to hire an assistant. I had no plan of what I was going to do next, very little money in savings, and my husband was in the early startup phase of his own company at the time. I wouldn\u2019t be running Jewels Branch today if I hadn\u2019t walked out that door, though.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Nikki Elledge Brown- Communication Stylist @\u00a0Nikki Elledge Brown<\/a><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\"\"<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

My big, life-changing, biz-launching offer was a secret when I first announced it \u2013 even to me.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

It was LATE on a Sunday night. I\u2019d just gotten home from a weekend visiting my great aunts and uncles. I decided to announce in Marie Forleo\u2019s Facebook group that I was going to share an \u201cExclusive Marketing Week Offer\u201d with my email list that week. I really didn\u2019t know what that exclusive offer would BE when I first mentioned it. I just felt like it was the right time to put myself out there.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The next day, I called my sister to ask, \u201cSo what should the offer BE?!\u201d I remember scribbling notes in my planner, trying to do the math on what my \u201chourly rate\u201d would come to. I\u2019d had just two clients up to that point (in my first weeks of business). I knew I wanted to work with MORE clients, but I didn\u2019t set a sales target of any kind. I just decided on the offer, then shared it via email throughout the course of the week.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The rest was craziness.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In the three weeks that followed, my client list grew from 2 to 92<\/em>. And (thankfully) it\u2019s been growing steadily every since. It\u2019s that \u201csecret\u201d offer that changed everything. No goals or expectations, just a word nerd looking to be of service.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Moral of the story: Don\u2019t overthink things! Go with what feels right, and share it with confidence. The right people will LOVE it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Lauren Lund, web designer @\u00a0Code Culture Inc\u00a0<\/a><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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I quit my high paying design job (that many people would have killed for) in order to start my own web design business. I barely had any clients lined up or money in the bank, but I knew I\u2019d do anything I had to do to make it work \u2013 I couldn\u2019t stand the thought of spending one more day working for someone else! It was definitely a huge risk but I\u2019m happy to say that it\u2019s all paying off. My company, Code Culture, is officially incorporated and I\u2019ll be hiring 2 employees to help me keep up with the workload this fall.The best part of being my own boss is the mobility that it provides \u2013 especially when working online. As I write this I am sipping a coffee on a patio in Vancouver. To my left are mountains and to the right, the ocean. Definitely beats the cubicle I used to work in. When I first quit my job, many people thought I was doing something \u201cstupid\u201d\u2026 Now, they\u2019ve never been happier for me. If you believe in yourself and your ideas, and you\u2019re not afraid of hard work, you can make it happen too!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Chris Pearson, the man behind Thesis @\u00a0DiyThemes<\/a><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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I stopped building on a VERY successful platform and developed a new one (for 2+ yrs!) to prepare for the future.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And of course- Richie Norton himself, author of\u00a0\u201cThe Power of Starting Something Stupid\u201d<\/a><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

My life has been a series of making \u201cstupid decisions\u201d which turned out to be smart choices. One of the so-called stupid decisions I made early in my career was to pursue a dream to help budding entrepreneurs in developing countries. I had no time, no experience and no money to make this dream possible\u2026I was still in college trying to get my feet under me. I entered a business plan competition with the idea and it completely failed. However, I moved forward anyway despite the naysayers. Through a process of getting mentors and partners I was able to successfully launch a mentor-venture capital company before I graduated and help people start companies in developing countries. This \u201cstupid idea\u201d became a catalyst for many opportunities including consulting, new ventures and eventually writing \u201cThe Power of Starting Something Stupid\u201d. Leaning into stupid was the smartest thing I could do for my career.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

SO, WHAT STUPID IDEA ARE YOU GOING TO START?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Now it\u2019s your turn. In the comments below tell me what conventionally stupid thing have you done, without which you wouldn\u2019t be where you are today?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Know someone that could benefit from a little motivation to start something stupid? Share this post!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"-Leah\"<\/figure><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

From the start of my freelancing entrepreneur journey, books and blogs have been the source of all my inspiration and motivation. When we are stuck in a conventional life, surrounded by other people doing conventional things, we naturally think that \u201cthis\u201d is just the way life is. But once we\u2019re introduced to someone doing something … Read more<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/freelancetofreedomproject.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/66"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/freelancetofreedomproject.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/freelancetofreedomproject.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/freelancetofreedomproject.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/freelancetofreedomproject.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=66"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/freelancetofreedomproject.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/66\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/freelancetofreedomproject.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=66"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/freelancetofreedomproject.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=66"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/freelancetofreedomproject.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=66"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}