what no one told me first…
you know the wildest thing about doing “big” things or making “lofty” moves or decisions…? we’re all excited about them and then we excitedly tell someone else about them and maybe they’re wildly excited about our ideas (like my dad always has been. thanks, Dad.) but more often than not they’ve already got a few reasons it won’t work, is scary, not a good idea, etc. i feel like people are so lost in their own self doubt that when we come to them with some kind of dream that they’re scared to dream for themselves, it all falls flat as they project their insecurities onto our joy.
i’ve had some big bold ideas in the last few years. it started with my photography company i started about 10 years ago in Michigan, then music when i moved to Tennessee in August 2019. some people were excited. lots were apprehensive. one quote that stands out to me the most — “good luck being a small fish in a big pond.” thank you… truly, i appreciate the sentiment.
then, as i’ve become a wife and stepmom, i’ve felt pulled in a number of new directions, none of which i could have foreseen, but also not without their share of criticisms. i’ve always been entrepreneurial, i guess you could say, trying to think of ways to be my own boss… i’ve had a good handful of questionable bosses in the past, and maybe that’s helped steer me into carving my own path. maybe that resonates with you, maybe it doesn’t… but judging by the number of nay sayers i’ve encountered with my big dreams, i think it’s safe to say the majority of people aren’t really dreaming these days. and that makes me sad. what do we gain by expecting the worst? what actual real benefit is there to assuming failure?
i wish someone would have just told me “hey Sarah, you know, this dreaming thing isn’t really the norm. so. keep doing it. but don’t necessarily expect many rounds of applause. until it works, that is…”
here’s a few other things i’ve learned along these lines. stuff that helps me defy the odds and make more out of these dreams than the nay sayers and the non-believers:
1. You don’t have to be weird or whatever — you just have to be real (even though i am a bit weird)
I build things by sharing what works for me, not “pushing” or “convincing”. People buy in when they trust, not when you’re rehearsed, fake, or scripted.
2. It’s more about consistency than charisma
You don’t need to be the loudest or flashiest—you just need to show up. And pro tip: find yourself a comp plan that rewards that.
3. The hardest part isn’t starting—it’s staying when no one claps
No one tells you about the “awkward middle,” when you’ve started but haven’t arrived. But that’s where the grit grows. That’s when you repeatedly remind yourself the reasons you started and let that be your fuel over the assurance or validation of anyone else.
4. You get out what you put in
It’s not magic. It’s not a quick fix. It never was — I’m not sure how we get so sold on this idea of overnight success… But when I treat this like a real job? It pays like one.
5. You’ll grow more than you earn—and that’s the wildest part
Personal growth often comes before paycheck growth. Every version of me that’s been scared, skeptical, or insecure has had to find reassurance and reasons to keep going. Those doubts have to die so I can stay focused on the reasons I’m growing these things in the first place.
i’m certainly not here to convince you — there’s not a single thing i’m still doing today that i was coerced into doing. but if you’ve ever watched anything i’m doing and thought, “could i?” or “how does she do that??” — i’d love to show you what i’ve learned. no pressure, no pitch. just a conversation i wish someone would’ve had with me.
xo,
Sarah