ï»ż E31 Transcript
âSuccess is a Decision.â Iâll bet youâve never heard it described that way, have you? Ever wondered if you could just decide to be a success? Like, maybe thereâs a secret 'success' button hidden somewhere between your coffee mug and that pile of sketches? Spoiler alert: there might be. But before you start flipping your desk upside down looking for it, let me spill some real tea on how every âyesâ you whisper and every ânopeâ you throw can sculpt your path to victory.
Yeah â today weâre talking about something that all of you dream ofâsuccess. But not in the way you might expect. You see, when we think about success, we often focus on the big achievements, those huge milestones that come with a sense of accomplishment. But what if success isnât about the destination at all? What if itâs about the series of decisions we make along the way?
Today, I want to explore the idea that success is a decisionâa series of decisions, reallyâthat we make every single day. And the best part? We get to decide what success looks like for us, both personally and creatively. So, letâs dive in and talk about how success can be shaped by the choices we makeâand why every decision you make is part of your creative journey.
So Youâre probably saying âWhat do you mean success is just a decision? Success depends on so many things that are out of my control! Are you saying I can just decide that Iâm a success and therefore I am? Thatâs not really how the world works, Virginia.â
No, I havenât lost all my marbles. Stick with me here!
Success often appears elusive. We often think of it as this big, final achievement. Maybe itâs finishing a big project, hitting a major milestone, or getting that âbig winâ weâve been working toward. But hereâs the thingâsuccess isnât just one big moment.
What if the essence of success lies not in the grandeur, but in the simplicity of decision-making? Today, I invite you to reframe your understanding of successâespecially in the creative realms like sewing, designing, patternmaking, crafting â whatever it is you do with fabric and fiber.
So a little bit of a back story here:
I first encountered this idea of "success as a decisionâ through Elliott Connie, a speaker at a virtual three-day conference I attended. Elliott is an author and psychotherapist, and founder of the Solution Focused Brief Therapy Training. His perspective challenged my preconceptions and transformed my approach to creativity and success.
Consider this: success isn't solely about the outcomesâwhether youâve created the design or mastered a complex pattern. Itâs equally about the series of decisions that guide you to these outcomes. Big AHA moment here! Every creative endeavor starts with a decision to try, to experiment, or simply to persist despite the odds.
In the world of creativity, success might look like choosing to refine a skill, experiment with a difficult material, or adjust a pattern draft until it aligns perfectly with your vision however long that takes. It's these decisions, small and frequent, that accumulate and steer you towards mastery.
Think about it: every project you start, every idea you try out, every action you take in your business, is the result of a decision you made at some point. You chose to start. You chose to show up. You chose to take the next stepâeven when it wasnât perfect or clear. Success is found in those little decisionsâthe ones we make every day, even when we donât feel ready or sure of the outcome.
For example, I didnât just wake up one day with a bunch of finished podcast, or a thriving fabric-based business. The success I see today came from all the little decisions I made along the way. Every time I sat down to design another garment, to record another class, to write another podcast episode, or even to simply show up, it was a choice. And those choices, no matter how small they seemed at the time, added up to something bigger.
Success doesnât always look like a finished product or a huge accomplishment. Sometimes, it looks like âchoosingâ or âsticking with itâ or âmaking a mess just to see what happens.â In the creative world, itâs about making those small decisions to keep going, even when you donât know exactly where the path leads.
But what do we do when that voice shows up. You know the one, That voice that whispers doubts and fears, suggesting our efforts are inadequate.
Oh, we all know it well, donât we? That whisper in the back of your mind that tries to convince you that youâre not good enough, not ready enough, or maybe not even cut out for this. And when youâre starting something newâwhether it's a fresh creative project or a new venture in your fabric businessâdoubt has a way of creeping in, casting shadows over your progress.
Hereâs where another vital decision comes into play: choosing to believe in your own progress and successes, no matter how minor they may seem. Did you improve your technique? Did you solve a problem thatâs been nagging at you? These arenât just steps forward; they're successes in their own right.
The thing is, self-doubt can be paralyzing. It makes us second-guess every decision, hold off on starting, or even quit before we really get started. But here's the key: decisions are not about perfection. Theyâre about action. And action in and of itself is trackable, measurable and provable!
hereâs what I know for sure: the only way to move forward was to act anyway. It wasnât about waiting until I was 100% ready or had everything figured out. It was about making the decision to start, even with the uncertainty. And you know what? Taking that step, no matter how imperfect, was the only way I made progress. And progress is success. Full stop.
that voice of doubt is always there. But every time I push through it and make a decisionâwhether itâs about what fabric to use or which design to testâit always leads to progress. And each little step forward, whether itâs figuring out a new technique or solving a problem thatâs been bugging me for ages, is a success in itself.
The transformative power of decision-making in any creative pursuit isnât just about the technical skills. Itâs also about deciding to view every attempt, every minor adjustment, and every redo as a step towards becoming the creative you aspire to be. Success isn't just a finished product; it's found in the resilience and satisfaction of the creative process.
So, I want to challenge you today: how are you letting doubt hold you back? What decision are you avoiding? I want you to think about that. Because the next decision you make is a success, even if itâs messy. Progress is evidence of that decisionâitâs about showing up and deciding to take action, no matter what.
So, hereâs an important concept: the process of becoming. Success, in my eyes, isnât about the finished product. Itâs about the journey, those small decisions, and the growth we experience along the way. Every step, no matter how messy, is part of the process. Itâs those moments of uncertainty, trial, and error that actually shape us into the creative beings we want to be.
You see, itâs easy to get caught up in the idea of a "destination." We often look at success as this end goalâlike once reached a specific milestone, thatâs when the magic happens. But hereâs the truth: the magic happens in the process. Itâs in the experiments, the revisions, and the learnings that shape our work. As creatives, we get to experiment, fail, and try again. And thatâs where we grow.
Success, indeed, is a series of decisions. The first one? Choosing to equip yourself with the skills and knowledge that transform fabric into fashion, ideas into tangible creations. As you stand at this crossroads, consider what your next decision will be.
How do you define success in your creative life? What decisions are you contemplating right now? Remember, each decision you make builds upon the last, crafting the pathway to your goals.
And this is where it ties into fabric-based businesses. Whether youâre designing clothing, accessories, or working with fabric in a unique way, success isnât just about a one-time âperfectâ product. Itâs about continually tweaking, refining, and learning along the way. Each design, each collection, each new fabric choice is a chance to learn something new about your craft, your business, and yourself. Thereâs always room for improvement, and thatâs the beauty of being a fabric-based creative entrepreneurâthereâs always something to explore, something new to try. This is where The makerâs path membership can help you.
Join us, decide to harness your potential, and letâs mold those creative visions into achievements. Success isnât just about the destination; itâs about the journey, and it starts with your decision to act. Ready to make that choice?
Alright, so what have we discovered today. Success is a series of decisions. Every day, weâre faced with opportunities to decideâwhether itâs about starting that new project, trying something different, or simply taking one small action that gets us closer to our goals. The more decisions you make, no matter how small, the more youâre shaping your creative journey and the more successful youâre becoming.
Now, I want to challenge you today. Take a moment to reflect on the decisions youâve made recently that have moved you closer to your creative business or project. Maybe you took that first step on a project youâve been putting off for months, or maybe you tried something new, even if it didnât turn out perfectly. What decision can you make right now that will move you forward, even just a little?
If youâre feeling stuck, I want you to take that first step today. It doesnât have to be a huge leap. Even if itâs something as simple as writing down an ideaâitâs all progress. Trust me, the more decisions you make, the closer you get to the success youâre striving for. And the sooner you start, the sooner youâll see how those small, consistent decisions add up to big results.
Hereâs your challenge: Reflect on the decisions that have shaped where you are now. Whatâs one more small step you can take today? Just make the decision. that action will push you forward. Success doesnât happen overnight, but it happens one decision at a time.
I want to remind you that if youâre serious about moving your creative business forward, I have resources to help you with that. If you're looking for community, mentorship, and tools to build and grow your fabric-centered business, donât forget to check out my membership. Itâs designed to help fabric creatives like you make those small, powerful decisions every day, while providing support along the way.
And please consider subscribing and sharing this episode with someone who might need a little nudge to make that next decision. And if you're feeling inspired, DM me on Instagram and let me know what decision youâve made recently that has shaped your creative success!
Rememberâevery decision you make moves you forward and brings you closer to the creative success you're working toward. Success is a decision. Make that decision.
