You’re sitting on those images you just did and that pitch you just wrote. Perhaps you’ve done a bit of research on the magazine you want to submit to. But the e-mail is still sitting there in your drafts folder. All you need to do is click “send” but you hesitate.

You have the phone number of the art director you want to be working with sitting right in front of you on your desk. Your phone is in your hand and all you have to do is dial but you hesitate.

You are at an industry event and you see the CEO of the company you want to sponsor you. You know exactly what you want to say to the person and you have an opening as they are standing alone for a moment but you hesitate.

In each case the mind develops a viscous cycle of worst case scenarios. What if they don’t like the pitch, the call the introduction? Then they will never work with me. Then they will blacklist me. Then everyone will know they rejected me. Then I will never be able to get work. Then I will not be able to pay my bills. Then I will foreclose on my house. Then I will end up working as a cashier. Then I will live in a crappy one bedroom apartment. Then I’ll get kicked out of there and be homeless.

Within a split second our minds went from wanting to send an e-mail to ended up homeless. Sounds a bit ridiculous but that is precisely why we hesitate on sending that e-mail, making that phone call or walking up to simply shake a hand.

So the next time you feel that hesitate and come up with 1,000 reasons (excuses) for why you should wait on this… realize what is causing that hesitation.

Then, legitimately ask yourself what is the worst thing that could happen?

They don’t like your pitch? Unlikely but okay, you pitch another time or in another way or to another person.

They didn’t care for the phone call? Unlikely but okay, you can talk another time or in another way or to another person.

They didn’t want to meet you at the event? Unlikely but okay, you can reconnect another time or in another way or to another person.

So… what’s the worst that can happen?

James Patrick
jamespatrick.com
instagram @jpatrickphoto