What if I don’t need to scale (now)?

What if I don’t need to scale (now)?

The message is always “scale, scale, scale,” “grow, grow, grow,” and “ROI.”

What if I did the opposite?

What if I kept things personal, 1:1, and did things the way I’ve always done them? Make introductions in a friendly and supportive way, then step back?

This moment of clarity arrived after I was informed that my fellowship application would not advance to the next round.

Earlier this year, I applied for a fellowship. When my application didn’t advance, I wasn’t upset. I recognize that the fellowship process is its own system, with its own criteria. I learned from the experience and gained helpful insight from the anonymous reviewers' comments.

I have come to appreciate systems and now look for systems in places I would never have considered. Recognizing systems helps maintain perspective and reframe judgment into information.

I entered a bit of a lull about the fellowship until I had conversations with friends. The big question posed was, “What if you did it anyway?”

Followed by, “Do you really need everything you think you need (right now)?”

And then, “Who are you asking for permission, exactly?”

These questions helped me move forward. I thought about past projects and how I explored topics and created (mostly) useful things. For example, I once created a print newsletter for an organization that did not have one. It quickly grew beyond its original six-page format. Today, my attention has turned to the current project, developing an environmental source desk to help journalists on a deadline connect with environmental and community-based practitioners.

It’s still a work-in-progress.

And as with any idea, the flip side is that this might not work as planned.
Every project comes with uncertainty. The only way to navigate uncertainty is to give yourself permission to proceed. All of my projects have reminded me of this in their own ways.

Whose permission are you waiting for?