"It's supposed to be hard. If it wasn't hard, everyone would do it. The hard... is what makes it great." - Jimmy Dugan (Tom Hanks, A League Of Their Own)
One of my favorite moments in cinema revolves around that quote. It's something i've been trying to tell myself over the past few weeks. I'm sure most of you have seen A League Of Their Own by now but if you're unfamiliar with it (shame on you, btw), let me get you up to speed: After a spat with her sister Kit (which sends her to a rival team) and a rather upsetting moment for a fellow player, catcher Dottie Hinson makes the decision to leave her team the day before the World Series and return to a quiet life in Oregon with her husband Bob who has just returned injured from war. When Coach Jimmy Dugan sees her packing her bags to leave, he's understandably upset about it. I'll let the clip here do the rest:
Sure it's not an epic scene and doesn't have any huge battles or dramatic dialogue but it has a lot of heart. And a lot of meaning. You shouldn't stop doing something just because it's hard. That's the worst possible reason NOT to do something. It's almost as bad as doing something JUST for the money. What the hell kind of life is that? Unfortunately, that's my exact dilemma right now
I'm really trying to get my head out of the gutter and push on with the bakery but it is so damn hard. It's not that it's because it's SO BIG and terrifying. I've reconciled that. I've done big before. I've done terrifying. Hell, i've fallen so far from the top that I didn't think it was possible to come back out again. But I did it. And I came out stronger as a result. I came back with a full brigade of love and support and awesomeness (that's the only way to describe it, lol). So why can't I get my head right and do this thing?
Roadblocks. Roadblocks everywhere. Did you know you just can't give people cupcakes for free just out of good faith? It's absolutely absurd! I understand the reasoning behind all the licensing and all that jazz...but goddamn is it frustrating as fuck! Even being certified in food safety there are STILL hoops to jump through just so I can walk down the street dressed up like the Cupcake Fairy and say "Here, I hope this makes you smile today!". Nope. Can't do it. My viral marketing campaign seems to be going belly up. Business loans are hard to get if you're not already established and I feel rather uncomfortable putting my crowdfunding campaign out there without a clear product to show for it within the community. Within MY community. My Salem! How do I put myself out there and make myself known among my people? This is extremely frustrating
Going back to the drawing board AGAIN. It's like a domino effect really. What do I need? Commercial baking space. How do I get that? With money, licenses and insurance. How do I get those things? Numerous locations (i.e the bank, the city, state, etc). But you can't get the license or permit until you have the insurance, you can't get the insurance until you have the money and then to get the money you have to have an established business. How anybody does ANYTHING is beyond me. It really is a vicious cycle. I'm sure there is something i'm missing.
This going to be tough. It's going to be grueling. I'm gonna cry a lot. I'm probably going to annoy a lot of people with my whining. But i'm not going to give up. I can't. I have to do this. This is MY dream. It was my dad's before me and my grandmother's before him. I have to be the one to do this. I won't quit. I want to be able to inspire someone to do what THEY love. Too many people go through the motions of life without taking any kind of risk at all. I've never really BEEN a leader....but I want to with this. Taking the chance is hard. Putting financial stability on the line is hard. Taking on too much responsibility is hard. But the hard IS what makes this great. It is worth it to do what I love on a daily basis.
And just like Dottie Hinson, i'm going to come back and play in the big game.
But i'm NOT going to throw the game and let my sister win and bow out gracefully. I just don't have it in me to lose anymore ;).
Sure it's not an epic scene and doesn't have any huge battles or dramatic dialogue but it has a lot of heart. And a lot of meaning. You shouldn't stop doing something just because it's hard. That's the worst possible reason NOT to do something. It's almost as bad as doing something JUST for the money. What the hell kind of life is that? Unfortunately, that's my exact dilemma right now
I'm really trying to get my head out of the gutter and push on with the bakery but it is so damn hard. It's not that it's because it's SO BIG and terrifying. I've reconciled that. I've done big before. I've done terrifying. Hell, i've fallen so far from the top that I didn't think it was possible to come back out again. But I did it. And I came out stronger as a result. I came back with a full brigade of love and support and awesomeness (that's the only way to describe it, lol). So why can't I get my head right and do this thing?
Roadblocks. Roadblocks everywhere. Did you know you just can't give people cupcakes for free just out of good faith? It's absolutely absurd! I understand the reasoning behind all the licensing and all that jazz...but goddamn is it frustrating as fuck! Even being certified in food safety there are STILL hoops to jump through just so I can walk down the street dressed up like the Cupcake Fairy and say "Here, I hope this makes you smile today!". Nope. Can't do it. My viral marketing campaign seems to be going belly up. Business loans are hard to get if you're not already established and I feel rather uncomfortable putting my crowdfunding campaign out there without a clear product to show for it within the community. Within MY community. My Salem! How do I put myself out there and make myself known among my people? This is extremely frustrating
Going back to the drawing board AGAIN. It's like a domino effect really. What do I need? Commercial baking space. How do I get that? With money, licenses and insurance. How do I get those things? Numerous locations (i.e the bank, the city, state, etc). But you can't get the license or permit until you have the insurance, you can't get the insurance until you have the money and then to get the money you have to have an established business. How anybody does ANYTHING is beyond me. It really is a vicious cycle. I'm sure there is something i'm missing.
This going to be tough. It's going to be grueling. I'm gonna cry a lot. I'm probably going to annoy a lot of people with my whining. But i'm not going to give up. I can't. I have to do this. This is MY dream. It was my dad's before me and my grandmother's before him. I have to be the one to do this. I won't quit. I want to be able to inspire someone to do what THEY love. Too many people go through the motions of life without taking any kind of risk at all. I've never really BEEN a leader....but I want to with this. Taking the chance is hard. Putting financial stability on the line is hard. Taking on too much responsibility is hard. But the hard IS what makes this great. It is worth it to do what I love on a daily basis.
And just like Dottie Hinson, i'm going to come back and play in the big game.
But i'm NOT going to throw the game and let my sister win and bow out gracefully. I just don't have it in me to lose anymore ;).
