Out of the Airplane

So, I did, in fact, start a little tea business. After representing medium to large-sized companies as a lawyer, I was suddenly a company myself -- a very, very tiny company. After years of advising and counseling and suggesting, I had to start doing.

Of course, I knew in my head that I’d be filling a very wide variety of roles, from CEO to copy girl. But knowing and doing are two different things. Every minute became precious, every minute had to be spent as entrepreneur or mother or wife or lawyer. And, of course, there was the financial investment.

Suddenly, I had lots of reasons to worry.

And I did worry. But I also felt exhilarated (in an “I just jumped out of an airplane” sort of way). I spent years doing work in a very competent, but never really inspired, manner. By contrast, I began actually leaping out of bed, ready for the day’s tasks. I was excited and stimulated and terrified all at once. I began to understand why people do, in fact, jump out of airplanes.

I thought, even if I don’t succeed, it’s worth it to feel like this.