The pressure to succeed now

As I sit here in my living room on a Saturday morning and reflect back on the week that was and the week that's to come, the only thing that keeps entering my mind is pressure. I went through the usual second-day-jitters when I launched SportsLizard, but I weathered the storm and maintain that my plan will work, but I feel an added amount of pressure than just that.

I feel pressure from my partners to not let them down - to truly meet and exceed the lofty goals I set out for SportsLizard.

I feel pressure from myself to remain focused and stay committed to the simple plan I have devised to change this industry.

I feel the pressure of the clock - I want to make everything happen NOW.

I feel the pressure to validate myself - the fact remains that I left my career and moved away from a place I enjoyed living to move back into my parents basement and make very little money. I essentially gave up my social life and sacrificed many of my hobbies, all to try to achieve the kinds of amazing things I never could have in a 9-5.

I look at where I would be if this failed - I could always return to doing more client work, but who would want to work with someone who can't even make their own site a success? I honestly couldn't look someone in the eye with the confidence I do now if I knew that ultimately all of the sites I've started have fallen short of their expectations.

I'm not sure what I would do if SportsLizard fails, but I really don't feel like thinking about it. Because in the end of the day, I KNOW that it won't fail this time, and that mindset and confidence that I have this time will make all the difference. Just thinking about failing and what I would do puts me in the mindset of failure and I want no part of that.

I think this type of pressure would force some people to crumble or walk away. Or maybe most people wouldn't feel this pressure because they don't expect from themselves what I expect from myself, I don't know. But all I know is that the only way I can respond to this pressure is to execute my plan to perfection.

I've worked out the technical kinks with SL for the most part, and today I begin the worlds simplest marketing plan (I'll delve more into that some other time). Some day I'm going to look back at this blog and re-read this emotional roller coaster I've been on and just laugh. For today though, I just need to focus on working my ass off until the Final Four games start....then I'll work at about half-speed while I watch the games :)