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The Gap Between Dreams & Reality
Are you letting the "familiar" hold you hostage from the life you truly want?
The Gap Between Dreams & Reality
The distance between your dreams and reality is unknown, a complete mystery. It’s a winding road paved with an unknown number of failures and successes - and, let's be honest, far more failures.
That uncertainty paralyzes most people. But the only solution is to start moving. Take steps, even if you’re unsure they’re in the right direction. It’s the mindset of every step teaches you something that you’ll need to lean on.
When we went all in on PAINKLLR, our vision was broad: we wanted to build a brand with a heartbeat, a community, not just a product. But the question that was always over our head: How?
That’s the gap between dreams and reality.
Accept Where You’re At
Social media conditions us into future-tripping: “If I had this…” or “I’m not there yet, so I can’t…” We’re bombarded with highlight reels that skip over the messy beginnings. It makes us think there’s a “perfect” time to start, that we need to be better equipped, or more experienced.
But the truth is, you become the person you need to be by doing.
There’s no better time to start than now.
Those countless unseen moments between the highlights are what shape and develop you for the next stages or phases of whatever it is you are building.
Take The Playbook Papers for example. This is the very beginning of my journey in content creation. I don’t have a massive audience. I’m writing to a small group who support the dream. The only way to become a better writer and creator? Do it now.
Stepping into the Unknown
Starting a business is like setting out for an unfamiliar destination with only a vague picture in your head. You walk in the direction you think is right, you’re not sure if each step (with 100% certainty) is taking you closer or further away.
The uncertainty can be terrifying, but accepting it is crucial. The sooner you realize that missteps are part of the process, the sooner you’ll adapt and learn. And with time and experience, those adaptations will become quicker and more intuitive.
Truths for the Journey
Here’s some hard-won lessons I’ve learned along the way:
It’s lonely, but there is strength in solitude. There will be times when you believe no one will understand your struggles, be it financial hurdles to what feel like pivotal decisions. Use those moments for deep reflection and develop the ability to trust your own judgment. You will be surrounded by noise and most of what is said isn’t valuable.
It ebbs and flows. The journey is filled with highs and lows. And they are extremes. Learn to ride the waves, recognizing that your reactions to feelings will evolve with experience.
It will take longer and cost more than you think. Be prepared for financial setbacks and pivots. Unless you’re well-funded, resilience is key.
Your surroundings matter. Everything from where you live to who you spend time with impacts your success. Don’t be afraid to make changes if your environment isn’t serving your goals.
You will need to evolve. As your business grows, so must you. For example, the scrappy mindset allowed us grow PAINKLLR at the beginning, but now we have found ourselves needing to develop better leadership and managerial skills alongside thinking about structure.
It’s fucking tough. Be prepared to pivot, adapt, and push through some of the most negative thoughts. The challenges will come, but with each step through you resilience will continue to develop. But again, it’s fucking tough.
Closing the Gap
There is no magic formula for success. The only way to close the gap between your dreams and reality is to take intentional action. Start now, and learn as you go.
If you’re looking for guidance on brand partnerships, business, events, or design - Hit reply. I’m here to help.
Keep building.
Talk soon, Conrad