When was the last time you really finished something? Like…set a deadline, got to that day and were able to step back and say, “Look what I did!”
Back in April, my wife and I decided to sign up for the National Stationery Show to launch her business into the world of wholesale product distribution. We didn’t fully understand what it would take, other than a lot of work in order to get ready in 6 weeks (most of the blogs we read recommend spending at least 6 months to prepare for the show…yikes!)
Seeing as I’m not the creative behind the business, I was fairly limited in what I could contribute to this endeavor. Thankfully, I was given a set of power tools a couple of Christmases ago…which meant I got to build the trade show booth! (cue Tim “The Tool Man” Taylor grunts).
After researching how to build a booth, planning lumber needs, making at least a dozen trips to Lowe’s and having to redo two sizable miscalculations…
it was done.
It surprised me, but on the Saturday my wife and I stepped back from the booth and looked at it totally finished for the first time was a huge moment. We had actually finished the booth…and thanks to my wife’s vision, it looked legit! As we closed the garage door and called it a day, I couldn’t help but notice the overwhelming sense of accomplishment I felt in us having completed the build.
Apparently, it had been a while since I charged myself to do something totally new and challenging — I owned the booth building process from start to finish.
And what’s more, the experience was accompanied by so many other emotions than just the elation of finishing: uncertainty (from having never been to the show before), frustration (from messing up), exhaustion (from lack of sleep), stress (from a short timeline), anger (from messing up again), pride and admiration (for the work ethic and vision my wife had throughout the process). The list goes on and on.
I think that’s the biggest reminder I was able to take away from the experience: accomplishing a goal is never going to be a straight-line path paved with chocolate bars and gum drops. It takes commitment, be it a six week timeline or a six year timeline. And things won’t always go smoothly.
The important thing to remember is that you had a reason for starting in the first place — don’t lose sight of that. The feeling you’ll get when you cross the finish line will be worth it.
Great post!! You guys put so much into that show and you can tell it was worth it!