Did you freak out about August?

Newsletters flooded my inbox yesterday with subject lines like, "It's August! Get ready!"

Suddenly it felt like the summer was over and I better get it together. That maybe I was already behind. Later when I walked into a Target displaying Back to School signs, my heart beat even faster. 

Did you feel it too?

Most of us still have vacations this month, but the calendar shifting seems to have shifted something else too. It's like we're grieving the end of the freedom and fun of this season before the end is actually here. 

What to do about August

1. Chill out.
   Take a breath. Ignore those newsletters. Stop the inevitable conversations that start with a sigh about the days getting shorter again. You have time. At the very least, you have this moment (60 seconds feels like a lot when you watch a clock) and why spend it worrying when you can look up at the sunshine. 
    
2. Take control.
   Remember that YOU choose what you think about and talk about, so choose well for yourself. One of my all-time favorite rules for living is, "Keep Your Eyes on Your Own Paper." Most of us first heard it back in third grade, and it still works now. Whatever everyone else is doing is their thing. Some people like to freak out and be busy and grieve before it's really over. You don't have to.
    
3. Make a plan.
   If the August pressure is weighing on you, set a date when you'll focus on it so you can enjoy quality time with loved ones in the meantime. When the date comes, make a list of what really needs to happen this month. It might be less than you think.

This is about permission.

Deciding what you want your August to look and feel like. Enjoying it fully, reveling in it, and trusting there is plenty of time. Because there is.

Trust also that you know what's good for you and what's really important. Because you do.

I believe in you, and your August. 

Why it's better to fail than to quit

9 out of 10 A-students agree: quitting is safer because at least you won't FAIL. 

Failing is scary!

What's even scarier is the thought of failing, which is why most of us quit way before we're anywhere near actually failing. It's easier to head things off at the pass and save face. 

You stop promoting your workshop before the deadline or don’t go to that second job interview, because seeing it through puts you in the precarious position of everyone seeing you. If you succeed or fail is out there, and it’s uncomfortable.

Let's avoid any risk of that.

When asked in the past about my own quitting, I used to say, "I'd rather get it right or not do it at all."

What kind of leeway does that provide for trying new things and learning? The whole point of owning a business and leaping of any kind.  

If it's not clear why this is important, consider that taking the safe route, never approaching even the possibility of failure, means staying in an unfulfilling career. You could keep doing what you're doing for the rest of your working days and just being okay about it. Another A-student nightmare. 

If you want to do what you love, you need to not quit when it gets uncomfortable.  

Because, while quitting means you won't fail, it also means you won't achieve your goal either. Many people sign up last minute for workshops, maybe they are waiting to do the same for yours. Maybe they want to make you an offer if you can just meet one more time. You don't know, and the only way to find out is to keep going. Keep putting in the consistent effort as if you WILL succeed.

Because then, it works.

You deserve to succeed and learn and grow and leap and get back up again supported by the rest of us who feel just like you. Gulp.

How do you stick with it when you want to quit? I look for ways to take a fresh perspective.

• Ask for help.
• Take a couple of deep breaths.
• Play outside.
• Read words that inspire you.
• Listen to upbeat music.
• Do the opposite of what you'd normally do.
• Treat this like a game, and take the pressure off. 
• Be scared & do it anyway.

Or, you can hang out the window, but I wouldn’t recommend it. 

Whatever you do, KEEP GOING!

I believe so much in you.

What helps you risk failure and keep going?