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Engineer to Entrepreneur - 3 Things I've Learned about the Journey

  

Looking back at my transition on paper, it seemed absolutely crazy. I was in a “cushy” logistics job that paid me a good wage & for the most part, was able to work 8–5p each day. And trust me, there have been (brief) moments (usually when everything seems to go wrong) during my entrepreneurial journey that I have deemed myself a fool for leaving such a sweet setup. But, at the same time, I know there is no other place I’d rather be. The journey is where the gold is. I’ve learned more about myself, about people, about business in these last 5 years, than I have in my entire life combined.

This journey is definitely not for the faint at heart, but it provides priceless rewards. So, throughout my 6+ years of ups & downs, scrapes & bruises, wins & highlights…here are a few things I’ve learned:

  1. Know that you WILL fail and WIN (many times over) — Not sure about your experience growing up, but in mine, I feel we were always taught to “avoid” failure. You never wanted to “fail” a class, a project, an exam, an attempt and on. You wanted to do everything you could to avoid a big, fat “F”. In result, you get stuck in perfection, complacency, or worse…fear. Failing forward is the process to getting to your WIN. You cannot win without attempt. So, let go of the indecision, overthinking and, as Brene Brown would say, “get in the rink”.

Newsflash: Failure is a part of the process. You need the failure to get to and embrace the success. And truthfully, in my opinion, you miss part of your “genius” when you don’t fail. Hard lesson to learn, but it is worth it.

So, I continue to learn how to wear my “F” proudly.

  1. Confidence is everything — Though you are in a constant state of learning & figuring it all out, having the confidence in yourself that you CAN figure it out is essential. Believing in your ability to fulfill your purpose, dreams, goals, whatever it is you want is very important. This one took me a while to learn. Experience & preparation will also build your confidence. However, just having confidence in who you are & your courage to show up in the world will get you far.
  2. Your journey is YOUR JOURNEY — Our world is now online, making it easy to access the lives & paths of others. This also makes it easy for you to constantly compare yourself & your business to other people. If you aren’t aware, you will quickly slip into the “comparison” cloud. I have spent more energy than I want to admit on this.

The truth is, you cannot compare your chapter 3 to someone else’s chapter 12. On top of that, you do not know the hours, the work, the sweat, the sacrifices, that someone has put in to get where they are. So, I learned to use that as inspiration to fuel my own marathon of a journey. Be patient & trust the process.

 

Bio

Char Dobbs is a strategic consultant who helps small teams and organizations find the intersection of purposeful profit and authentic alignment. Having worked as an engineer, entrepreneur, supply chain manager, and as a personal branding specialist, she recognizes that both passion and strategy are crucial components of lasting success. Char has a knack for empowering her clients to cut through the clutter to make priority pivots, leading them toward more clarity, impact, and profit in their endeavors.

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