People always ask me how I “do so much stuff.”
Beyond the fact that God has blessed me with an extra helping of curiosity and fascination with life, I just have this constant awareness that I only get one life. I don’t know how long it will last, and I want to get as much out of it as I can.
That may sound morbid, but I don’t believe it is. I think more people need to live with full knowledge of the precious gift they have.
So, a couple months ago I decided to name this lens with which I live life. I live according to The Spaghetti Concept.
A guy from church once told my mom that real Italians know their spaghetti is done by throwing it at the wall. If it sticks, then the pasta is perfectly al dente.
It’s the same for me about ideas or goals. I welcome ideas and possibilities and goals. They are all welcome in my pasture; there’s no gates or bars here.
When an idea comes at me (like start a podcast, blog, magazine, or book) I just go for it. I take that idea and throw it at the wall. If it sticks, great!! If not, then at least I can say I tried it.
It can be embarrassing to fail in public. And trying so many things publically, you’re bound to fail at least once. But we’re too afraid of failure. It shouldn’t be embarrassing; instead, it should help us realize what works and what doesn’t.
Regarding first drafts, a speaker from a The Futur video said that first drafts EXIST so you have something to edit for the second draft. If you never start that blog or book or hobby…you won’t have ANYTHING to work with.
Plus, each thing you do will teach you something. You’ll also become a more relatable person.
All of my closest friends are the more cautious, calculated type. They want the perfect logo before launching a business, or the perfect outline before writing a book. And I love them for that; I need people to balance out my crazy thoughtless just-go-for-it attitude.
So, for those calculated people: I say EXCELLENT. However, may I add on a suggestion: give yourself a time limit to soak and reflect. You have two weeks to come up with started blog post ideas; you have one month to make a logo for your podcast; you have three months to build out your freelance website.
And to those who JUST DO IT, two things:
- Welcome the strategic people into your life for balance and perspective.
- Slow down, *just a bit*. Don’t hit send or publish too fast…there ARE things called “mistakes” and ya might want to proofread or sit on a design for a while. You’ll have a fresh perspective in the morning…or next week. Always pulling the trigger has gotten me into many messes…ha!
So, keep throwing spaghetti at the walls. Ya never know what might just stick.
Amanda Michelle Brown 