Gain Confidence in Life and Business- Find a Mentor and Try Something NEW

Three years ago I bought a 70′s white desk hutch spray painted white at a garage sale for $25. When I purchased it I had in mind to repaint it so every time I passed by it I had a nagging feeling about it. I was resolved to “redo it myself someday” but I didn’t have an action plan and put it on the back burner for a very long time. I’m not naturally crafty, so it seemed a bit overwhelming. But then for some reason I was determined to get it off the back burner this year and started to ask people about the piece- what color did they think I should paint it? Everyone had a different opinion. Apple Green? Fuschia? Chocolate Brown? Blue?

I didn’t know what I wanted to create so that was the first thing I had to decide. Just like the Cheshire Cat in Alice in Wonderland tells Alice, “It doesn’t matter where you’re headed if you don’t know where you’re going.” I realized that it didn’t really matter if I ever finished it if I didn’t know what I wanted…so I waited some more to tackle it but I set a date to complete it and made myself accountable to a friend.

Once the date was set to complete the goal, I opened myself up for inspiration.

As soon as the completion date was set the hutch was on my mind on a regular basis. I started to notice painted pieces of furniture at stores, my friends’, etc. I was inspired by Design Mom, Gabrielle Blair’s green piano and then a magazine article caught my eye with 3 brightly colored hutches with the “how to” information. I gained courage and decided I wanted to try a fun color, something  to match my Heather Bailey pillows (fabrics here) I chose light blue and went to the paint store with a swatch of the fabric. I was excited and nervous but determined to finally complete the project.

When I got home I painted the inside of the cabinet and I hated it! It felt like a baby nursery hutch not one for my living room. I immediately called my friend Elizabeth who is constantly redoing furniture for advice. She came over and said, “It’s perfect. You just need to finish painting it, sand down the edges and do a dark brown stain over it.” Genius! I loved her solution to my hutch and I set out to follow her advice and have been so pleased with the results. Now the feeling whenever I walk by my hutch desk is, “Wow, what a great piece! You did it!” I am so glad I had a friend I could trust to help me through the toughest part and now I feel more confident to try other home projects now…and apply these principles to other goals including business projects I’ve been too timid to try (such as editing audio presentations or writing a book).

Here’s the steps I followed…which are basically the steps for completing anything new. 1) Decide what your goal is 2) Set a date to complete the task and make yourself accountable to someone if necessary 2) Identify a mentor to ask questions if you need assistance 3) Gather inspiration and courage by reading or learning about what you’re setting out to do 4) Get the necessary materials and supplies 5) Jump in! 6) If you get stuck ask your mentor questions 7) Complete and Celebrate!

Be confident…you can do anything! Make a Wish, Make it Happen! Share with us–what is something you’ve done that helped you gain confidence in yourself?