When you’re slaving a way at your stable 9 to 5, not much really scares you. Life is often boringly easy. Maybe that’s why we stay in it so long. Having a paycheck come in every few weeks becomes a luxury when we take that leap from desk job to the job of our dreams.
As I transition from corporate life to being a full-time freelancer, I’m realizing how scary and exhilarating making that jump is. I thought just entering the field was terrifying enough but there are many, equally scary steps along the way.
For me it was my fear of my tape recorder not working in an important interview I had scheduled. I did everything I could to prevent my fear from happening. I brought a dozen batteries and two tape recorders and tested both three times before I went. And guess what? Both didn’t work!
What I got instead was a lesson learned. We can prepare but we can’t control life. Even when your worst case scenario becomes a reality, life goes on. Embrace the fear, and you’ll find that you receive more than you lose. So I didn’t get the entire conversation on tape. Instead I took good notes, listened well and made a connection with the interviewee. And most importantly I learned not to allow my fear to get the best of me.
