Building a business and creating meaningful content is like building a puzzle.
It's a delicate dance of patience,
Commitment,
And facing multiple failed attempts.
If left unattended,
Our minds can start playing tricks on us,
Convincing us that there's a piece missing.
At worst,
That persuasive voice allows self-doubt to swoop in and steal its opportunity to make us question whether we didn't notice an errant piece falling under the table.
Much like any endeavor,
Creative or otherwise,
Building a puzzle can be frustrating at times.
The last 18 months or so has shaken and stirred many small businesses like mine.
As a creator,
My impose and photography work all but dried up overnight.
After some time to process the new reality,
A big move to the middle of nowhere,
And some deep introspection,
I began to take stock of the pieces of the puzzle I had laying in front of me.
Over the years I've attempted many online projects,
Some mildly successful,
Others abject failures in the generic definition of the word.
But after more than a year of forced reflection,
I've realized that the value of those disparate projects lies not in their individual capacity,
But in their collective alignment.
Building or rebuilding a business is a process,
Much like building a puzzle.
It requires curiosity and experimentation.
It requires that one particular piece of the puzzle be in place first before the next one will fit,
And it requires a willingness to set a particular piece to the side until its place becomes more apparent.
It's a layered process and too many of us hope that as we tip all the pieces out of the box onto the table,
They'll all magically fall into position and the picture will complete itself.
But where's the fun in that?
I've come to realize that this wishful thinking comes from only ever seeing the complete picture others present to the world.
We see all their puzzle pieces nicely in place and we begin doubting our own ability because our puzzle pieces are still muddled in disarray on the table.
Our minds block out the entire process it took to complete their picture.
But there's hope.
Getting the pieces onto the table is just the first step,
And a very important step at that.
You need those pieces there in all their muddled glory,
Otherwise there's no puzzle to build.
You can start to see what they are and you can begin the process of sorting them according to color,
Shades and textures.
Having the reference picture close by helps to keep you on track.
Much like having a vision and purpose helps you focus on the projects that build the big picture of the life and business you want.
Looking at other people's businesses,
Profiles and successes is like referencing the box of a completely different puzzle and trying to make sense of your own pieces.
It will only confuse you,
Frustrate you and prove absolutely pointless.
The puzzle pieces you have are not the puzzle pieces that could ever build someone else's picture.
When you try,
You'll fail and you'll begin to devalue your own pieces.
You'll begin to make yourself inferior and that's fertile soil for self-doubt.
Everything you need to complete your picture is right in front of you,
It's in you,
Knowing this is the missing piece of the puzzle.
Build the picture your puzzle pieces were intended for.
I've recently taken a picture of a puzzle piece that I've been working on for a long time.
I've recently taken stock of all my puzzle pieces.
I realize now that for years I always referenced other people's pictures and that made me doubt the value of what I'd built.
But now that I'm focused on my own puzzle picture and I'm committed to patiently placing one piece into position at a time.
And I'm willing to try different approaches and configurations.
I'm starting to see a picture take shape.
The truth is,
There really are no missing pieces.
When you're building the right puzzle with the right pieces that line up and link up naturally and easily.
You'll realize you already have everything you need.
The rest is merely a process of placing one piece at a time.
