Risks and decisions are partners in crime

Well, hello there.

I did something kinda crazy recently. Wanna know what it is? Hold your horses… I’ll get to it in a minute.

First, let’s talk about taking risks.

Are you a risk taker, or do you tend to play it safe? What happens when you take a risk? You either win, or you lose… right? Right. So if you don’t take a risk at all… what happens?

Nothing.

Nothing happens, and you sit stagnant, and you slump over, and you get bored. That’s not really my style. Actually, I don’t think it’s ANYONE’s style. So what are you doing in your life to make sure that you keep spicing things up and keep that fire going?

• Are you looking at others doing awesome things while thinking, “aw…I wish I could do that, too! Oh well.”
• Or, are you doing something every single day to make your life more interesting, exciting, and successful?

Until last month, I was doing the first one. I was watching good things happen to people all around me, I was sitting back at my desk seeing all the good things my peers are doing for themselves and for others, all the while thinking about how jealous I am, and how impossible it would be for me to have that life, too.

Sure, my life does not suck by any means! It’s actually kind of awesome… I’ve been very fortunate and feel very lucky to have a great job, great friends, a supportive and amazing family. However, even with all of those great parts of my life, I have to wonder, “what’s next?”

To fill whatever void was missing in my life, I lived vicariously through bloggers like Devon Mills’ Answering Oliver, Joel Runyon’s Blog of Impossible Things, and several others doing amazing things, and I would read their articles about traveling, exploring, and doing things I never imagined to be possible.

“Whether you think you can, or you think you can’t, you’re right” – Henry Ford

Then I read the article that was the last straw: an awesome and inspiring post by Matt Cheuvront (Life Without Pants) called “Derailed,” and decided it was time for me to have my own adventure.

Our “day jobs”, whatever they may be, hold us back from the things we should really be doing. The things we want. The things we love. It’s up to you if you’ll let them define you, or if you’ll be the one to define. And while nobody can go back and start a new beginning anyone can start today in making a new ending. – Matt Cheuvront

So there’s part one. Risk taking. Do it. It’s awesome.

Now lets talk about making decisions.

I suck at this. Always have. I can’t choose a restaurant, let alone what to do with my future. But that’s gotta change, and recently it has.

It doesn’t matter which side of the fence you get off on sometimes. What matters most is getting off. You cannot make progress without making decisions. – Jim Rohn

Things happen when you make a decision. Seriously – it seems like such a basic concept, right? But if I could go back in my life and switch out all of the “I’m not sures,” and “I don’t know, you picks,” … I have NO idea how my life would be different right now. Indecisiveness is for the followers. Making decisions is for the leaders. So what risk and decision did I recently make, and am I crazy?

I’ve decided to resign from my amazing job in DC, continue freelancing social media services full-time from anywhere in the world with Wi-Fi, and yes, I am admittedly crazy…

First destination?

ECUADOR!

I’ll be living in South America for a little while, helping businesses create awesome social media presences from my laptop, exercising on the beach, building up www.jessiespielvogel.com, and practicing my Español while I’m at it. The beauty of having an online business is that it can be done from anywhere with an internet connection. The beauty of social media is that I will still be connected at all times, no matter where I’m at!

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See that dot on the Pacific Coast that says, “Manta?” That’s where I’ll be.

I’m so excited to start this new (and terrifying) chapter of my life. I am prepared to work my butt off to get things started as an entrepreneur, for I have been fairly warned that entrepreneurs do NOT have it any easier than the rest of the world. But, I have to start somewhere, and I am seriously giddy just thinking about the opportunity I’m giving myself. I know there will be ups, and there will certainly be downs, and I could for sure fall flat on my face after a month. But, I also know that failure only happens if I don’t pick myself back up.

Success is not final, failure is not fatal: it is the courage to continue that counts. – Winston Churchill

As soon as I made this decision, things started happening. All around me, it was like a wave of awesome started overcoming not only myself, but also the people in my life. I am fully convinced that taking risks and being able to be decisive are two of the most important qualities to creating good change. The combination of the two creates action, and that leads to success… seriously – just as Picasso….

Action is the foundational key to all success. – Pablo Picasso

My last day in Washington, DC will be March 22, and then I’m off on my Ecuadorian journey on April 4. What am I packing? A backpack with sundresses, flip flops, tennis shoes, bathing suits, a camera, and my laptop.

Bring it on.

-Jessie