(Warning: Adult Language ahead.)

Being successful sometimes means winging it.

Having no fucking clue, and doing it anyway.

You have to be brave enough to take big swings, new swings and know the chance of you completely shitting the bed is a possibility.

There is no security in living, you can only buy so much insurance.

There is also a chance you will wing it right and wind up amongst the creators, the risk takers, the creative revolutionaries.

If you have an idea, have the balls to believe in yourself—pull through in the things you want madly.

Being a creative revolutionary means being broke, unsupported and terrified at times.

It means talking yourself off the edge.

Looking at your fear and saying, “You don’t win. Go fish.”

I have a friend, an artist, who told me once every six months he and his business partner take turns walking each other off the edge.

He says, “Worse case scenario, we, what? Get real jobs? 9-5? That’s the worst case scenario.”

If you want to have your bank accounts hand held, if you like routine, consistency, eating the same cereal every morning, a pay cheque every two weeks—go home, work for the man, or woman, or someone else who will take the swings for you.

This is okay—doing both at once, is okay too.

Please hear me when I say that we need “the (wo)man” as much as we need creators.

We must all find a way to survive, sustain, feed not only our souls and the call to create but also our bellies—do it your way.

There is no right way.

On that note, being broke is a lesson in gratitude, but don’t make a habit of it.

There’s nothing romantic about being broke—I know I wrote a fancy poem about it, but don’t listen to me—I’m an asshole with a pen, just like the asshole in the tie.

Being well nourished and sleeping in a bed is not for suckers, it’s for people who want to thrive.

We do not create brilliant art when we are depleted and burnt out.

Self care is part of success.

But if you are a creative revolutionary and you are afraid—this message is for you.

This right now—is it.

If you have the ideas, the words, the sounds—I am calling you to begin.

All the time you spend tip toeing around what you love is a waste of life.

Sometimes when we step outside our comfort zone, our first instinct is to disregard our brilliance and hide back where it’s safe: “Fuck that, it’s new!”

If you are a creative brinking on taking a big swing, and are met with a faltering moment of “Can I?”

I am writing to say, yes, you can.

I am writing to say you will figure it out, have faith in yourself.

That apprehension in your stomach is anxiety and fear—your self-esteem getting the chicken shits.

Excitement and anxiety are the same emotion.

When we approach something with negativity we feel anxiety, when we approach it with positivity we feel excitement.

Be excited about your ideas—believe in them.

Our egos will always be a battle. They will fluctuate.

There are days we have to keep them in check, whack ’em down and say, “Stop being a shit head. You’re just a sucker living like everyone else.”

And some days we have to talk our esteem off the edge and remind ourselves that we are not only qualified, and capable but we are also brilliant enough to do the things we desire.

Sometimes playing big requires a reminder from someone close to you how important it is to say a big fat yes to yourself.

So this is me reminding you—yes, you’re qualified; yes, you’re capable; yes, you’re deserving of it all.

Anyone who has ever been wildly successful, at some point, has completely winged it.

I am finally beginning to believe in myself as a writer, and a creator and most days—I still have no fucking clue what I’m doing.

But that’s okay—life is about adapting, learning and being in a continuous circle of not knowing and being brave enough to learn.

Don’t waste away.

Choose to say yes to what you love.

Swing, and swing, and swing.

And if you miss—worst case scenario, work a 9-5 until you can swing again.

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Relephant Reads:

A Manifesto for Life, or Love, or just Today.

This is For the Women Who Don’t Give a F*ck. {Adult}

Quit Choosing Busy & Start Choosing what we Love.

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Author: Janne Robinson

Editor: Travis May

Photo: Bryan Tranminh