I got this analogy this morning when I took the twins to their swimming lessons. Starting a business is like getting into a swimming pool when the water isn’t warm. It’s probably better to jump in and start swimming than trying to ease your way into the water – especially when it is cold. Once your foot touches the water, you certainly won’t feel like jumping in anymore realizing how comfortable and warm it is outside the water.

The thought crossed my mind after a bad night of sleep. I’m thinking of launching a small business but I’m going in slowly, feeling the water and it’s not warm! So I’m sitting on the side of the pool (metaphorically speaking) rationalizing, telling myself the known (i.e. applying for a job) is safer and more predictable. Taking another job would feel safer so why go through the trouble of launching a small business?

At that time, my gut acts up and reminds me how much fun it could be if I would just get in – stop over analyzing!

Can we ever go back to being kids after we grow up? Except for the obvious, kids are fearless and worry free. We lose that ability when we grow up and it makes decision making so much more difficult. Combine that fact with a highly analytical profile and you see hurdles everywhere.
It would be easy to jump in if we could see in the future. Maybe taking a risk isn’t so bad. Like they say, it is not the destination that counts but the journey.

The swimming lesson is now over. The kids tell me the water was cold but they had a great time.