From lightbulb to liminal

Sometimes having a great idea leads to more questions than actions.

When you’re called to do something purposeful it can cause you to question yourself:

- who are you to do this work?
- will you make an actual difference?
- what if you fail?

The idea is clear.

The mission is motivating.

But you’re still unable to act.

When we closed our digital agency to focus on The Happy Startup School I went through several years of liminality.

I had spent more than a decade as a scientist, a coder and a techie.

I knew how to do those things well. They were a my comfort zones.

Running retreats, running courses on happiness and entrepreneurship and hosting a business hippy festival were all things beyond my experience and knowledge.

I solved complex problems.

I didn’t search for the best bell tent company is Sussex.

And so I had many more questions than actions.

It was a time for some radical self-enquiry (thanks to Jerry Colonna for that phrase) and surrendering to what was unfolding.

Laurence was clear about what he wanted from this new direction.

I just knew that if felt right AND that growing a digital agency on my own didn’t.

I just wasn’t sure what my work to do was.

But I found it in the end.

And funnily enough I came full circle.

But that story is for another post.

What I want to talk to here is what to do when you’re called to change but you’re not sure what to do next:

- don’t act
- be patient
- follow those who are clearer than you

Thanks to Charles Davies for that last piece of advice.

At some point the path forward will appear.

And you won’t question anything anymore.