Woman hitting a concrete wall with a sledgehammer. Facing her challenges.

One Week At A Time

When I read over the syllabus for my most recent college course back in January, I cried. It seemed like SO much work! I thought there was no way I could get it done. I seriously considered dropping it and giving up.

When I decided to give this whole small business thing a real try a few years ago, I began looking into business classes at online and local colleges. My degree and most of my job experience is in teaching. I didn't know much about the nitty gritty of running a business. Taxes, licenses, and accounting spreadsheets were my biggest fears. But I knew if I was going to pursue this, I wanted to be sure to do it right.

Our local community college offers a certificate program in Entrepreneurship. This was the most affordable option, but it was also a good fit for me because the program is only 4 courses. I figured if I took one class per semester, I would gain some basic knowledge and still be able to keep up with our busy family. But the thought of returning to college was scary. I mean, look how much has changed just in the world of technology in the last 20+ years? The first class I took in the Fall wasn't too bad. The teacher told us in the beginning, "If you do the work, you'll get an A." There were some challenging assignments, but it was a good class for me to get back in the groove of learning. My second class, the one that made me cry, was a bit more involved. Like writing papers and using citations and all that fun. Yuck! I got up the nerve to stay in the class. I decided I would just take one week at a time and not worry so much about my grade. As the weeks went on, I pushed through the work. Was it fun? Absolutely not. Was I challenged? Yes. When it was time for our "big assignment", I said to one of my boys, "Maybe I'll just take the F." He said, "Now mama, how is that setting a good example for us? You can do it!". I hate it when they throw my mom-talk back in my face. But he was right, and I pushed through. I broke it down into sections and did a little bit each day. In the end, I actually ended up completing the assignment 4 days before the due date. And I got an A!

I thought back to that day when I considered giving up. I was proud of myself for sticking with it. Was I learning rocket science or how to perform surgery? No. But I did the work at a college level and did it well. I proudly showed my kids my 4.0 GPA.

So next time you are faced with a challenge, I encourage you to take a breath, break it down into manageable sections, and ask for help where needed. Instead of focusing on ALL the work, focus on what you can do in a day or a week. You'll be so proud in the end of what you can achieve.

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