Episode 16: Taking Action and Stepping Into The Arena with Rebecca Woolbright
How many ideas or dreams do you have that you are still sitting on? As creatives, we are idea machines! However, sometimes we can get paralyzed by all the "what ifs" and fear can hold us back. Today Rebecca shares how she quickly moved into action to launch her groups to teach about manufacturing called, "Manufacture: Awesome."
5, 4, 3, 2, 1
Rebecca shares openly that she struggles to call herself a teacher and sees herself more as "a guide." After receiving a lot of great feedback about a class she did in The Creative Powerhouse Society with Stacie Bloomfield and putting a class on Skillshare about washi tape, Rebecca started to give space to the idea of launching small groups to teach about manufacturing overseas.
Rebecca explains that she felt terrified and felt the deep need to deliver when charging for her groups. The sea of educators in the arts industry can feel large and intimating to step into. However, with a little help from Mel Robbins and her book, "The Five Second Rule," Rebecca was quick to take action, squash her fears and insecurities, and step into the arena.
It is easy to sit on ideas and make things perfect, but when we count down from 5, 4, 3, 2, 1 we can actually click publish, send the email, or post about our product. Getting it done is better than making it perfect. You can always continue to improve things even after you have implemented them.
Stepping Into The Arena
Contrary to how you feel, there is room for you. Whether you want to be a licensed artist, have a robust wholesale business, or be an online educator, if you are showing up and doing the work, there is room for you.
You need to get over yourself and decide to be brave and step in. Your voice, your art, and your teaching style are your own and are needed in the world. What do you have to lose? Confidence comes after the decision to step and trying and trying again.
Critique and Criticism
"There are a million cheap seats in the world today filled with people who will never be brave with their own lives but will spend every ounce of energy they have hurling advice and judgment at those of us trying to dare greatly. Their only contributions are criticism, cynicism, and fear-mongering. If you're criticizing from a place where you're not also putting yourself on the line, I'm not interested in your feedback.”-Brene Brown
When you are brave and start to put yourself out there, inevitably you will be met with criticism. However, it is important to view your critique and criticism through the lens of, "Is this person also putting themselves out there? Are they speaking from a place of experience?" It is easy to point fingers when you are not the one doing it.
Fear of Success
Are you more fearful of success or failure? This is a question to really sit with. If you are afraid of success, why? Are you limiting your success in any way? Sometimes we can block our own success out of self-preservation and we only crack open the amount of success we believe we can handle.
KEY TAKEAWAYS:
Getting something done is better than just sitting there and making it perfect. As Mel Robbins says, “Countdown from 5, 4, 3, 2, 1” and move into action.
There is room for all of us to step into the arena. We all have different voices, different approaches, and different life experiences. We need to get over ourselves, show up and do the work.
It is important to just get your first try at something out into the world. Recognize that it is going to change and there will always be room to make something better in the future.
Ask yourself, "What do you have to lose?"
Be prepared that when you are daring bravely, you will inevitably be met with criticism and cynicism. When you receive critique, examine if this is coming from someone who is also putting themselves out there.
We often limit our success, because we are protecting ourselves. Examine yourself to see if you are limiting your success or playing small and why that might be.
Rebecca Woolbright is a licensed surface pattern designer, artist, educator and mom based in the beautiful Columbia River gorge. She started her own product line in 2017 with a few rolls of washi tape and a lot of hope. Her line of products now includes over 60 designs of washi tape, greeting cards, wrapping paper, and gift tags. Her licensed artwork can be found on puzzles, women's clothing, fabric and home goods. She has recently started guiding small groups of artists through the process of manufacturing products overseas in her group Manufacture: Awesome.
Visit Rebecca's website at: www.rebeccajanewoolbright.com and her instagram.
