Trying out New Things
I think a lot of you know already why's important to try new things. Let me list some reasons you may have already thought of:
allows you to explore / learn things you may not have had the chance to otherwise
challenges you to do / be better (for example, ups-killing)
opens up unexpected opportunities
So given all of these great things about trying new things, why don't we do it enough? Here's some reasons I've thought of:
lack of time / worried about not being able to commit
don't know where to start (what does 'new things' even mean??)
fear of it failing or not going as well as expected
These three obstacles are something I've felt at the planning stage of every new venture I've set out to do.
With these newsletters, initially I was afraid I wouldn't be able to find the time
When creating my website and also my YouTube channel, I had noooo clue where to start
There have been so many times where I've gone back and forth about whether to apply to a certain law firm, because it just looked so competitive and I thought I didn't stand a chance. This was where my fear of failing arose.
Now in terms of overcoming that doubt stage, changing my mindset helped me a lot here. It's about taking practical steps to persuade your mind that it IS possible.
In respect of my doubts about creating these newsletters, I re-arranged my social media content calendar, which involved changing how many YouTube videos / Instagram posts I would be making per week. By re-arranging my content, I could visually see that I did have time for a monthly newsletter. I was also realistic with myself; thus to allow myself to settle into this new hobby, I scheduled it for once a month
In respect of the website and YouTube channel, I just started taking action which meant it was too late to turn back and change my mind. This included purchasing a domain, creating the channel, and dedicating hours to research. I found myself saying 'well I've done all of this now, I may as well complete it.'
In terms of not knowing where to start, this is where putting myself out there was important. I reached out to like-minded YouTube content creators and also people who I knew had mailing lists too for advice. Putting yourself out there is easier said than done, but once you start doing it once or twice, I promise you it gets easier
I overcame my fear of getting rejected from a certain law firm by actually acknowledging that I've taken the time now to research the firm, I have already started thinking about how I want to answer their application questions, so I may as well see this through to completion. One firm I was applying to only had 2 spaces, and after overcoming this initial doubt, I applied, passed through the stages and gained a Training Contract offer there.
So over the next month, I challenge you all to try something new. It doesn't have to be anything major, it could literally be something that you've always wanted to do, or it's been on the back of your mind but you haven't put the steps in motion yet. It could be anything
....from cooking something new....
....to reaching out to new connections on LinkedIn...
....or planning that side passion....
....or making that direct Training Contract Application to that firm you really like the look of.
Drop me a message if you decided to try something new this next month. I'd love to hear it ❤️
