Start somewhere.

I once worked for a fascinating company that sold high-tech goods in the aerospace industry.  Early in my tenure, I found myself at Boeing in Long Beach, California.  My task was to represent our product in a room full of scientists working on the International Space Station.

The meeting started with introductions.  The lab coat to my right started by introducing himself.  He outlined his PhD and his extensive background in quanto-nuclear-astro statistics or some such.  When it was my turn to compare qualifications, I was in trouble.

I said, “Hi.  I am Colby.  I live in Alabama.  I too focused on statistics in my undergraduate at the University of GA.” The lab coat next to me followed up.  “What was your focus in your statistical studies?”  I said, “I failed Statistics 101 two times, and on the third try I passed with a C- because the professor felt sorry for me.”

You have to start somewhere.

Somewhere is scary, because you don’t know where somewhere is located. If feels like you’re lost without a map.  But the more you try, the borders of the map clarify as you continue the journey.

You have to start. Even if it is awkward, embarrassing or uncomfortable.  To be what ever you want to be, you have to start with what you are right now.  You stumble, then you walk, then you run.

As long as you know what you want to become and you are persistent, you have a better chance of reaching your destination than the most that quit before they start.

You can relax.  The product I represented is in the International Space Station, but I did not design it.  All those astronauts are perfectly safe.