Whew! The questions keep coming!!!! They are literally never ending. Today we’re taking some time to talk through a lot of these unknowns and last night, before we went to bed, Michael reminded me that we won’t get EVERYTHING done today. We’re not going to find answers and solutions and come up with a game plan in a matter of a few hours. I knew this…. but in my head, I wanted to figure everything out instantly….. and life just doesn’t work like that. I think it would be fair to say that Michael thinks I’m a bit anxious…. I like to call myself ambitious. So what’s the difference?? Is it even possible for a small business owner to not be anxious for the next step? Philippians 4:6 says “do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.”. Ok, so being anxious isn’t ok. The very root of the word “Anxious” stems from “Anxiety”, which isn’t pleasant. So how can I push my business forward, try to fix problems, and make sure I’m not falling behind without being ANXIOUS?!
The more I think about this, the more I realize that being AMBITIOUS is very different from being ANXIOUS. It’s not wrong to desire the next step for your business…. and it’s not wrong to dream about the future and PLAN for what lies ahead… but it is wrong to let those plans and dreams fill your life with worry and fear. In no way is that helpful. Michael’s right, I have been anxious about what lies ahead… and until today, I’ve thought that was ok because I’m a “business owner” and I’m supposed to be concerned about what is coming next. The truth is, I can keep my ambition and my drive to succeed… but I need to trust that God knows what He’s doing with KJP. He’s got a better business plan than I do!! I really believe that. I also believe that with trust comes freedom. If I can trust God and lay down my anxiety about all that lies ahead, I’m actually being set free to dream even more! Anxiety and Ambition may seem similar but the reality is that “Anxiety” hinders “Ambition”. Worrying about the future is NOT being ambitious at all. Ambitious business owners take steps to move forward…..Anxious business owners stay where they are and freak out about the future. I don’t want to be one of those people. I want to enter this new phase with confidence and I know that will only happen if I commit to trusting God with my business instead of trying to handle everything on my own. This isn’t just a “business” lesson…. this is a life lesson.
If you’re wondering which side of the fence you’re on, maybe this will help:
You may be ANXIOUS if you are: Consistently worrying Aren’t moving forward because of fears Find yourself dreading the future Not taking steps forward because of the chance that it won’t work out unhappy Having trouble dreaming about the next phase of your life/business Easily overwhelmed Settling
So this morning, as we sit in Barnes and Noble and hash out the next phase of what is to come…. I’m going to be ambitious. I’m going to think big and dream bigger but my anxiety about the future will have to stay home. Here’s to a productive day of planning and prepping and dreaming!!!
ps. If you’re on FB at 3:00 (est), I’ll be on the PASS group chatting about my experience with PASS! Come be a part right HERE!
