Protect What You Are Building
2020 is coming to an end and many are mentally preparing to face the new year with new goals, or ready to revive dreams they let die. That’s why we think this article is very important; we want you with the right mindset before you plough ahead.
Let’s get into it.
So This Happened
Recently I attended a movie screening where I met up with an acquaintance in the business. I proceeded to tell him about a film I had produced and directed that was going through the festival route. See trailer of film. His first reaction was to tell me the hiccups my film would meet. That remained his major focus even after I told him a couple of film festivals had already accepted the film. I left there a bit discouraged, before I intentionally took the next hours to remember principles I live by:
- Every finished work is to be celebrated. Because many people never finish what they start.
- Every master in a craft started from a first project that wasn’t that great. It takes 10,000 hours to master a craft and you only digress when you stop.
- The destruction of good is perfect.
- Keep going.
What I was doing was protecting what I was building, and you must do so as well if you want to succeed. Without intentionality our dreams get destroyed or paused because of premature or unneeded access to it. I’m not saying no one should know about your ideas or that input should be completely avoided, but timing and situation is everything.
Questions to ask yourself before you share:
- Am I mentally strong to fight off discouragement or criticism, or can I take it in stride?
- Is the person I am sharing with generally an ally, or do they habitually lean negative?
- Are they knowledgeable enough to give me educated feedback?
- Am I sharing for personal validation?
Mentally strong: If you aren’t mentally strong, you will stop.
Ally: If the person you are sharing with is not an ally, they will use their privilege to discourage you.
Knowledge: If they lack the necessary knowledge in the area you are delving into, they will steer you the wrong way.
Motives: If your motives are personal validation (to be admired, to be liked, or to feel enough), you will not have the emotional foundation to withstand the moments of difficulty or aloneness you will encounter as you pursue your goals.
To protect what you are building it might not hurt to keep things a bit private until you have the right mindset to face criticism, and, or ready to continue no matter what. There are many resources like case studies, research material, support groups etc to help you keep your dream watered and alive. In the end you have to believe in your dream no matter what. Even if it’s a new, never before implemented idea remember that when the car was invented people were using horses and when the light bulb was invented everyone was using fire.
Hope this helps as you head towards continuing or resurrecting a dream you let die. I leave with one final nugget: Every building started from one brick.
Leave a comment let me know what you think about this article. How do you keep going when you want to quit? How do you protect your vision?
Article by: Imeh Gabriel
