What if What I Want to Do Doesn’t Exist Yet?
The following is an excerpt from a newsletter published May 16th, 2024
What if what I want to do doesn't exist yet?
I call this building at the front edge of the curve.
Something about the business you want to run or the way you want to run it doesn’t seem to exist yet. You’re tasked with the problem—and opportunity!—of building without a map.
The tough part about doing something new is that there’s little wayfinding. There aren’t exact examples you can look to or ‘roadmaps’ you can follow.
This can be hard from a practical perspective (how the heck do we make this work?!) and it can be unmooring internally. It deeply challenges the parts of us that crave certainty, proof, and answers.
After working with front edge of the curve types for over 10 years, here's the general advice I'd give:
— Find your peers
You can't find maps but you can find peers.
Look for folks who are also endeavouring to do things differently. They don't have to be in your industry (honestly, it's often better if they're not). They simply need to share your values or approach to growth.
These can be people you form real-life relationships with (a monthly meet-up!). They can also be role models, living or dead, that you feel a kinship with.
These folks can serve as your support system, your compass, and your encouragement.
What would Joni Mitchell do?
— Model realistic iterations of your business
For many the broadest, longest range vision is the easiest and most energizing to map out. (We'll have a community garden! A climbing wall! Our own circular repair program!)
We know what we want it to look like in 5 or 10 years. But what's realistic and possible in one year, or two?
In order to get this thing into the world it's necessary to take it one iteration at a time.
I'd encourage you to do business modelling, goal setting, and financial mapping for no more than 8-24 months in the future.
This isn't about denying your 5 or 10 or 100 year vision (feel free to map that out too!). It's about anchoring into the next livable phase. It's about building the structures, traction, and earned confidence that will allow you to stay in it for the long haul.
In service of our vision, what are we able and willing to do now?
— Let the language for your work emerge over time
Finding the language to describe your work (as well as positioning/framing it to begin with) might be challenging!
It’s truly OK if this takes time. It’s also really, very normal if you rapidly outgrow language, branding, or products/services.
Resist the urge to “perfect” things or put a lot of money into design/copywriting out of the gate.
Test, iterate. Test, iterate.
Let yourself try things on and live into different potential structures as you go. We are PROTOTYPING.
As Miles Davis reminds us, “It takes a long time to sound like yourself.”
— Practice discernment
Practice discernment when it comes to who you share your dreams with, who you ask for advice, and the content you consume.
Most business advice you find will be for a life that's not yours, resources you don't have access to, or a world that doesn't exist anymore.
Remember: “Literalism is the lowest form of meaning.” (Thank you, Richard Rohr.)
— Finally, know that you're part of a much broader cycle
Anytime you feel isolated, have genuinely no idea if it's going to work, or have the distinct impression that you're swimming upstream…
Know that you're not alone. You are part of a much broader cycle of creation. Anything you're facing humans have been wrestling with for centuries.
There were many before you. There will be many after you.
Welcome to the time-honoured tradition 😂.
You are the bridge builders.
The people who go first. The people who practice the future. The people who say, “What if…?” and have the courage to build that conviction.
Thank you. We need you. Keep going.
— Kate
P.S. This week’s header photo is a page from Seth Godin’s book, What To Do When It’s Your Turn (and It’s Always Your Turn).
May we learn to hold that tension—that freedom is our problem and our opportunity—wisely and well. it.
