Do it anyway.

One of my most frequently asked questions is about how I’ve accomplished the things I have in my short 27 years. My answer is usually pretty in-depth and complicated but really it’s simple. I just do it. So, I decided to write about it and share it with all of you in case you need to hear this.

You have to work really hard. Not everyone will see the hard work you put into it. Work hard anyway. No one sees the 17+ hours a day I work. I do it anyway. People will tell you that you sound crazy when you tell them your dream. Dream it anyway. If, when you tell someone your dream you don’t sound crazy your dream isn’t big enough.

So far in this life I’ve worked in retail, I’ve worked as a waitress, I’ve been a nanny, I worked for a bail bond agency, I was an office manager at a crematorium, I started my own bail bond agency, I started my blog and a photography company. And that’s just the beginning.

How did I start? Honestly, Google. I Googled everything. Business laws, how to purchase a domain, what makes a logo stand out, etc. How did I know what I wanted to do? I actually didn’t. I was telling someone about how I used to work for a bail bond agency and unfortunately it was a very toxic environment so I had to leave. As I was telling him in great detail how bail works he was smiling. He said, “I’ve never seen your face light up like that before.” Pro tip: your success usually lies within your passion. If you can find a way to monetize your passion you will succeed. Because success doesn’t just require your brain, it requires your heart. You have to be fully in it or not at all.

It is never too late to start something you put your mind to. It is never too late to have a new dream. Some of the most successful people in the world did not become successful until later in life. Oprah wasn’t Oprah right away. She was demoted while she was working as a newscaster. The first episode of her show didn’t even air until she was 32 years old. Denzel Washington was once a garbage man, a factory worker, and also worked for the US Post Office. Kevin Hart used to be a shoe salesman. Do you see where I’m going with this? Just because your success hasn’t come yet, doesn’t mean it won’t come at all.

I think too often it’s thrown in our faces that everyone is ‘living their dream’ and has all the success they ever dreamed of. Social media does such a good job at fooling people because all we see are these pretty, perfect squares. But, just remember, no one is posting their failures. Don’t compare your day 1 to someone else’s year 10. You may have just figured out your passion while someone else has been working at theirs for years.

Some of the most successful people have had the biggest setbacks. At one point when Kevin Hart was doing stand up they booed him off stage and someone actually threw a piece of chicken at him. Can you imagine if he would’ve called it quits after that and let that be an excuse to give up? What if you are meant for something great? Don’t let obstacles hold you back from doing what you’re meant to do. Don’t be afraid to ask for help. Don’t be afraid of failure. It’s better to try and fail than to never have tried at all.

Really it’s simple. Just do it. Start. Don’t wait until Monday. Don’t wait until the New Year. If you want something bad enough reach out and grab it. Do it when you don’t feel like it. Push yourself until you can’t go any further, and then go just a little bit further. Success comes from a mindset. If you have a dream that you think is dumb or scary write it down. Say it out loud. Talk about it until it no longer sounds dumb or scary. Pick out the wallpaper for your office even if you don’t have one yet. Speak it into existence, work hard, and it’ll happen. It won’t be easy. Do it anyway.