Without deviation, progress is not possible.

– Frank Zappa

My last blog post I talked about admitting when things suck and that this VERSION  of your dream may not be working.

I am not talking about the I am having a bad day…. There are some gin and tonics and a bubble bath with my name on it. Get up tomorrow and do it all over again.

No I am talking about this sucks because it is not working… You cannot raise enough money, find enough paying clients, secure space, find people to join your movement, believe in your cause or buy your stuff.

You know that very scary moment when your stomach drops and that place deep in your gut tells you this is more than fear… this is real and it is not working. When you are in THIS place, I want you to release this version  of your dream.

Your dream of creating, starting, owning, founding, managing  is kaput. I want you to hear me when I say this:

It is ok to step away. Renew, retool, refresh and rethink your dream. Listen to your heart, listen to the advice of experts and mentors and listen to the data. Then if necessary, release it.

Let that which is not serving you go…even if it’s something that you have created.

We all want progress, but if you’re on the wrong road, progress means doing an about-turn and walking back to the right road; in that case, the man who turns back soonest is the most progressive. ~C. S. Lewis

How do you make the decision to let go of what is?

Let the data lead the way.  what do the numbers say? Data gives you information to make sustainable decisions. You need to have data before you can make good decisions.  Have you EVER hit your targets, brought enough money in? You don’t know the numbers, don’t have good data—get it.

Let expert advice support you. You cannot be expected to know and do everything. Invest in professional support…coaching or consulting to help you design programs, design strategy, create long term and short term plans raise funds, and invest in creating a real infrastructure.

Talk to mentors whom have been where you are.  Talk to folks and organizations that have recreated their lives, organizations and systems. Ask them how they did it. Every day there are stories of people who recover from financial devastation, divorce, illnesses, losing  businesses. Find these people and learn from them.

Listen to your gut. That place that only you know of deep in your soul where your truth is always spoken and you can find it if you listen. Most times you have to be still to hear it…That voice will tell you what you need to hear. You have to dig through ego and your social self to get to this place.  Let. GO.

Let go so you can rebuild and reclaim a newer version of your dream. I will never tell you cannot do it… you just cannot do it as it is in this form. You will find the way when you release that which is not serving you.

When we first leave a career or role that we’ve heavily identified with, the disengagement process involves disentangling ourselves from a structure that we previously worked very hard to be a part of. It’s jarring and deeply unsettling at first, to move away from the very thing that, for years, represented a semblance of order, sense, and structure.

We’re full of conflicting emotions as we embark on this disengagement process, and an experience of loss and grieving often creeps in, as we realize that what was once is no more (and most likely never will be again).

Grieve and give thanks.  Then get back in the game … Things do fall apart so they can come together stronger than ever.

If you want to build core  nonprofit management skills crucial to your organization’s success you can schedule some 1:1 time with me here or learn about other ways we can work together here.

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