A Lesson From America’s Pastime
October 7th, 2005
0 votes
Isolation is an issue all at-home entrepreneurs encounter. When you’re stuck for a new idea, or a solution to a problem, there is no one with whom you can brainstorm, no one to pull you up when you’re feeling down. And sometimes it’s tough.
At home, there is no throng of fans cheering you on. But when Red Sox power hitter David Ortiz is standing at the plate, he too is alone. And I read this quote about how he felt when the heat was on.
“First pitch, he’s going to throw me this, and I’m going to look for it. Give it to me.”
He then hit a homerun.
Remember to talk to yourself next time you need to hit one out of the ball park. You can do it!
October 7th, 2005 at 11:54 am
Now that’s bringing it all into perspective. After all, "Baseball is life. The rest is just details."
Way to go Joan!
October 16th, 2005 at 6:29 pm
I am aiming that way. I have everything I need right here. What a great gift. To have the opportunity to truly find out who I am, what I’m made of, and then to let myself have me.
Thanks Joan.
October 20th, 2005 at 1:02 pm
Ok…I’m not just saying this because my business has to do with dogs, I truly believe in this tactic.
When you are working home alone, and you need some validation of an idea, or something you’ve written or even just a doodle.
Share it with your dog. I have shared countless ideas with my Chocolate Lab, Trotter. If he walks away, I know I need to refine my work.
On a more serious note…reading or speaking out loud to your pet does a couple of things: it may help you "flesh out" ideas, edit your writing, it could help prevent you from sending a scathing e-mail to a supplier.
And most of all, it helps you to giggle, something I miss very much from my own "cubicle" days.
Warm regards,
Kim Banks
President
The Pet Set
Elegant Cards and Stationery For Our Fabulously Socialized Companions.
http://www.the-petset.com
October 25th, 2005 at 8:22 pm
Isolation seems to be biggest fear working for yourself means working alone, I do good when I am busy but when slow all I can do is spend more money to improve my site find more items to sell, when in fact I should be making for lost time with my family my home repair myself interest. Things that make me happy besides seo work. There is no one to bounce things off no one to get me over the one hump on whether I should move on or keep down the same path.
Michael Milstead
scootertronics.com
October 27th, 2005 at 3:15 pm
Michael,
I hear you…during the slow periods is when I need a coach. During the busy periods, I think who I am.
Today is a little slow, so zip, right to the food network to look for the perfect cupcake recipie.
The other part of working on my own has to do with the guilt around the fact that my family leveraged my business.
Somehow, while I feel very luckty that we were all in this position (as opposed ot getting a loan from the bank)…I sometimes feel like a hostage. Especially when it comes to certain decision making. I am a marketing professional by experience and I know the dynamics of how certain things should work, such as advertising or direct marketing. But when I find myself in a heated discussion with one of the "leveragers" about how we should spend advertising $$s, I feel resentful. I feel as if my "vision" is being challenged.
I’m thinking of David Bowie’s "Under Pressure"….
Good luck to you.
Kim Banks
The Pet Set
http://www.the-petset.com
201-225-1307
October 28th, 2005 at 12:43 pm
Kim– I can’t tell you how often I drift off in the middle of my work to shop online or look for a recipe. It’s part of the beauty of working at home! We all need cupcakes in our life!
And I talk to my dogs and five year old all the time. The dogs aren’t too helpful when it comes to giving me ideas, but my son is a marketing genius!
As for the pressure, we all feel it. Once I had an intern who quoted his entrepreneur father in his interview. He said "Pressure makes diamonds." I never forgot that. I don’t know if it’s true, but it’s a comforting thought!
Thanks to all for your comments.
October 28th, 2005 at 11:10 pm
Joan!
You are not going to believe this…
All day I’ve been thinking about "Pressure Makes Diamonds" and I might say, feeling sorry form myself, but this evening I found out that The Pet Set might be featured in a MAJOR consumer magazine.
You were right…thank you…!!
Kim Banks
The Pet Set
http://www.the-petset.com