5 Reasons Why You Shouldn't Be Afraid To Start Over

Lately, I've been feeling a little discouraged with where I am in life. Though I'm grateful for my blessings, I still encounter moments where I feel like I could be doing more to propel myself to the next level. Ask any entrepreneur what their day is like and I'm sure they will tell you it is a constant battle between giving up or deciding to keep pushing. It's a real life struggle between remembering that you're good enough and fighting the feeling of wasting valuable time. Honestly, there have been too many times to count in the past four years that I've felt like such a failure because I had to go back to the drawing board.

When I reach this point, I have to remind myself that taking a step back and regrouping is often what will produce the best results. To be honest, starting over is actually one of the most productive things to do because it forces you to remember the reason for pursuing your dream, and in turn spurs the motivation to make it a reality. Does that mean it's easy to do? Absolutely not. However, there are plenty of reasons why starting over shouldn't scare you. While it may be an uncomfortable position to be in, here are five things I remind myself every time I have to regroup and reset:

1. It's Better To Start Over Than To Quit: There have been so many times that I've gotten frustrated with where I've been in my journey that I've contemplated just quitting and going back to Corporate America. I'd be lying if I said that it was easy and I've loved every second of it. However, I recognize what my strengths are and working a typical 9 to 5 job where I am underutilized won't bring me fulfillment. While starting over may feel as if you've wasted time, it is better than returning to something that doesn't make you happy. It takes determination and dedication, but it is much more admirable than giving up on your dreams because you didn't make the effort to grow them.

2. Sometimes, You Find The Answer When You Go Back To The Beginning: I've had to restart my journey too many times to count. Most of those times, no one knew about. I've been left without a job and have been passed up on opportunities that I was certain were for me. In turn, I've been devastated, discouraged, depressed, and just outright drained. Feeling like you've hit rock bottom will force you to figure things out and most of the time that requires going back to the start of things to see where there is room to improve. Before I started this blog, the only thing I knew is that I wanted to write. After a few let downs, I had no choice but to go back to the beginning of my dream and figure out what route I could take to get to the next step. Revisiting the beginning made me think outside of the box I had placed myself in, leading to trying new things. Even if you've done everything you've said you can do, I guarantee there's something else there upon taking a closer look.

3. You Can Get The Help You Need: Every time I revert back to the drawing board of my dreams, I'm able to fill in the blanks of where I needed help and called upon those I trust who can assist. It's similar to making a cake from a family recipe. When you get stuck on a part that you can't remember or if it doesn't come out how you'd like, what do you do? Call someone that can provide the help you need.

4. Doing Your Best Is Just As Good As Doing It Right: When it comes to success, society will make you think that if it wasn't attained on the first try, you've failed. However, what I've learned is that as long as you've tried your best, you've done it right. Failure, in this instance, only occurs when you've given anything less than your best effort. As long as you're doing your best to make your dreams become a reality, you're doing it right.

5. Starting Over Doesn't Mean You've Failed: This one is as simple as it comes. Though it took me a long time to really be OK with this, starting over has helped me actually push my career further. Each time I've had to regroup, it's given me time to cultivate new ideas and take a look at the areas that were in need of improvement. Failure only happens when you quit before you need to. Don't be afraid to give your dream another try.

With Creative (and Fearless) Thoughts,

-Kp