I have a story to share, one that may not seem all that relevant to the online business world but in fact, directly correlates to what it takes to learn something, and succeed at something. It is all about "jumping in head first", not knowing what you are getting yourself into prior (or having a very vague idea, anyways).

Over the years I have realized that when I am going to learn something new, I often times fear what lives on the other side. Not because I am scared to fail, I am actually afraid of the unknown. The unknown can be awkward, and in life it prevents us from doing a lot of different things that we could be very successful at...business being one of those things.

This idea of "fear of the unknown" stretches across different niches. One in particular that is very relevant to me, is working outdoors in my garden and managing a property, something that I cured the "fear of the unknown" by jumping head first into.

The Story of 7 Acres.

A few years back, I moved to a plot of land. I desired to live on land, I grew up on acreage and I loved the lifestyle it provided me as a kid. I guess, in a way, I want the same for my kids. The freedom to play outside, to have freedom, to be creative without direction, and to learn how to consume hours of time playing without "tech". I believe it is important for everyone to be capable of independence. The outdoors, and the world of nothing but your own elements can create this.

When we moved here, we had help with the yard. There was a gardener that would help through the week, mowing lawns, working on the gardens, etc. I didn't really know much of anything, I came from prior homes that had no yard and the only recent memory I had of being on acreage was when I was a child.

As crazy as it sounds, I actually feared the idea of having to work in the yard.

I didn't know how to operate power tools, I didn't know how to use the zero turn mower, I didn't know how to operate the gator, I didn't know enough about gardens to properly maintain them. I was green...even greener than my lawn lol.

So on the day that my hired help indicated they were moving on to spend more time with their family, I was presented with two options. One, seek out and hire someone else that I trusted to learn the yard, and maintain it. Or Two, learn it all my self, and jump in head first.

I chose the latter.

I jumped in head first. I had spent the prior 15 years telling others to "try something new" through the affiliate marketing world, whilst helping them through the process, but I was experiencing the same level of fear that many go through when starting an online business.

I didn't know the first thing about what I was doing.

As embarrassing as it is, I had no prior experience on how to operate any sort of gas tools or a chainsaw or mowers or dealing with a variety of plants, pruning, edging, keeping plants alive, irrigation...it was all so overwhelming to the point it created a feeling of fear. The fear of the unknown.

I remember going down to my lawnmower, which I had never even tried (after a year living on the property). It was a zero turn mower, with very few controls. I sat down on it, with no a clue how to start it. I didn't even know where the key went in. As I sat on the mower, I pulled out my phone and jumped on Youtube to search "how to start a husquavarna zero turn mower". I wasn't alone, the video at the time had over 20,000 views.

That was a consistent learning process, that happened over and over again. From learning to use a chainsaw and watching safety videos, to figuring out the best way to edge gardens after buying over 20 different garden tools...to upgrading and automating my irrigation so it uses 60% less water...and understanding the entire drainage system on the proper, and actually enhancing it with new irrigation and finding some major flaws in the existing ones.

This year I ripped out an entire 50-foot garden bed (see below) and now I am working to plant a brand new garden.

This is another thing I have yet to do, but I now have the confidence that I can do anything.

I approached my yard, like I approached business.

I went at it with the idea of efficiency, and success. I knew I could do a brilliant job, and that there are a lot of really skilled people out there doing it. Why not me? Why can't I learn this, millions of people have learned how to do this before me and I have all the resources I need to become not just a success at it, but an expert.

I can innovate, be creative and come up with new ideas and concepts the same way I do in business. I can jump head first into ANY new venture that I choose, with confidence. Knowing that I will fail, knowing that I will learn from that, and knowing that the outcome will eventually be success.

At the end of the day, what's the worst that could happen. Something doesn't go exactly as planned? I fail, and then learn something new?

I have learned something new, and I have gained a love for something new as a result. This can be you, with anything that you do including an online business. You just need to jump in head first.

PS. These are all pictures I have taken from my garden.