Pressure. Success. More.
It's hard sometimes. I want to succeed...then I wish it would all disappear. Do you ever wish the internet would just "go away"? That way I wouldn't know how well "everyone" else is doing. Then I wouldn't feel the weight of failure. Then I wouldn't know so much.
When you are building a business it's so easy to get weighed down by "everyone else". I am extremely guilty of playing that game. I forget to look at my successes, instead I focus on what I haven't achieved.
With the internet, you know everything. Who is talking to whom. Who is selling to whom. How much competition is loved. How popular "they" might be. It becomes more of a watching (and worrying) game.
So why do we watch?
What do we hope to gain by having all that info? For me it can be crippling.
When I started building my business 10 years ago, it was a slow climb. I was doing it for the joy of creating. Don't get me wrong, I still have the joy of creating...but now it's tainted with the push for success.
Ten years ago I would visit other jewelry artists websites, but I didn't "hear" them talking on Twitter. Ten years ago Etsy was not a frenzy. Ten years ago, Facebook? What is that?
Sometimes I don't think I'm cut out for all of this. I enjoy baking and cooking, playing outside, hikes in the woods, lazy evenings. But those days are gone. And it's my own fault. Instead I mull over what I should be doing. I worry about what to do next. I think about my next move.
Who am I?
I'm just processing today. Wondering what keeps me up a night. Wondering how this all plays out.
Am I losing my mind? Or do we all struggle with this as entrepreneurs? I'd love to know what you struggle with. Because I am watching!
BE creative
~ lisa
I think a lot of folks toot their own horns or embellish the stories of their success. You never really know what's going on in someone home, you only know the version they are selling. I've completely done away with FB. I think it's over sharing and really tiresome. I don't want to know where you went for dinner or who you ran into at the mall. Twitter seems more business oriented and is, at least, limited in characters. =)
ReplyDeleteOh, girl. Your thoughts echo mine completely...and I am not even selling online! I have a tendency to want to be great but I don't want to be "successful" for fear of the pressure and letting others down. Hang in there - this too shall pass...well, unless they come up with some more social media outlets (and they will) then it will not pass it will just get more involved!! You gots to learn to shut it off now and then. Good luck - your work is beautiful!!
ReplyDeleteI got very wordy so I'm going to shorten this. LOL
ReplyDeleteYou are a top jewelry designer in my book. It is of a strange comfort that you have these same issues as I do. Since a conversation I had with my husband a few weeks ago, I have been working on improving my outlook. Instead of me being so aware of everyone on Etsy or twitter or facebook having success after success I am telling myself that I, too, will be successful. That my work is just as important as theirs. That their success doesn't mean that I have to fail or can't be at the same level as they are. I just came to all this the other day as it had me so bogged down in depression that I couldn't stand that weight anymore.
Well I clearly went on, again. lol Lisa, you're an amazing woman, artist and Believer.
You are clearly not alone in these feelings. There is so much competition out there it's intimidating. I am not cut out for that, so I shy away from it. We all have to make a decision on where we stand. I have a lot of respect for you and your work. Hope you find your footing on this slippery slope!
ReplyDeleteInteresting take. What has struck me about the entrepreneurial world since recently diving in is the different approach to competition than my corporate background exposed me to.
ReplyDeleteWe held everything tight to the chest and didn't show our hands but there was very little collaboration. Now, I communicate with people that are my direct competitors... It's an attitude shift. I know that, to spite the fact that their products and services are similar, we definitely attract different people and it takes the edge off the idea that we compete. My people are not their people.
Truly there is enough for all of us... and then some ;-)
Your work is spectacular! Every time I turn around it feels like you're on another TV spot. I saw that you're teaching people HOW to play with fire. How cool is that?
From over here, you look pretty dang successful!
And another thought... it's the stories about your family, about how you are REALLY blessed to be home with your kids AND continuing to create in your business that seem to display your success almost more than any advertisement could ;-) I looked around at people like you and it's what drew me to try it myself dear. I wanted what you had! So thank you for displaying something that I couldn't resist trying to get for myself. I owe you xoxo
I liked your post - I offer a slight rebuttal - I didn't talk about technology in my post, but you can find others on the subject. http://bit.ly/jPCklH
ReplyDeleteYou may be losing your mind. I almost did that once.
Hi BeadGirl,
ReplyDeleteYou have beautiful creations! Thank you for sharing your story. I actually came across a post "Lisa Lehmann Grows Successful Jewelry Business as WAH Homeschooling Mom of 4" by Leticia Barr while doing an online search for successful jewelry businesses which led me to your etsy shop, your blog and so on.
I am a fellow jewelry designer and can relate to some of your blog posts. Especially this one. The difference is right now I can do the playing outside, hikes on the trail, dinner out, a movie and lazy evenings, but I would love some of the enterpreneur frenzy your experiencing because like yourself being creative/artist is who I am. Anywho, I can imagine with the holidays what your schedule must be, but if you get a moment I would love to have online coffee (or tea) with you.
DaunCherie
I'm also on Etsy shop "Zyhri Artwear"