From Dreaming It to Doing It: Just F*cking Start!

(*Contains swearing) Ever felt that itch to break free from the ordinary, but find yourself shackled by fears and doubts? My own leap from being stuck in a daydream to launching the Mischief Movement podcast is a testament to the magic of a 'just start' attitude. I want to share my story and the lessons learned from first venturing into the world of leather goods with Mischief & Hide. This episode is for anyone ready to kick the judgment monster to the curb and simplify their path to personal and professional growth. Together, we'll navigate the murky waters of self-doubt and emerge with strategies that will have you rewriting your identity narrative toward the person you're meant to be.

But there's more than just my musings on overcoming the fear of starting something new. I'm rolling out the red carpet for your wildest business ideas as we perform a thought experiment—imagine having a limitless budget to fuel your dreams! Stirring in anecdotes from past ventures, such as a would-be motorbike school and a co-working space dream, I aim to spark that lightbulb moment for you. And as my voice reaches your ears, don't be a stranger; hit up Instagram @TheMischiefMovement, engage with fellow listeners, and let's keep the conversation going. Your weekly dose of inspiration is just a play button away...

Transcript

Zoe Greenhalf: 0:00

Choosing the things we enjoy. It doesn't mean that they're the things we'll end up doing or that they're the end goal. Sometimes they're the perfect doorway into something else. Hello, it's Zoe mentor, creator and mischief maker behind the Mischief Movement podcast, your weekly inspo for people looking for more hell, yeah, in their life. I'm on a mission to help you rediscover that rebellious streak, find your confident inner badass and stop holding yourself back from the amazing life that you're dreaming of. Why? Because I know what it's like to wake up one day and think, wow, this isn't the life I'd imagined for myself. But I decided to bring the fun back, get curious about the things that made me feel alive and empower others to boldly rebel against the ordinary with me. And so the mischief movement was born. I've always loved the word mischief because it's cheeky, playful and a little bit rebellious, and that's exactly what I hope this podcast brings to the table. Now I'm daring you to jump in with me. Are you ready? Let's go. In case you haven't heard, you can now purchase Mischief Movement merch. It's all done through Teemill, a UK print-on-demand platform offering global delivery, organic cotton and production powered by renewable energy. Not only can you now tell everyone you are a true mischief maker. But if you feel inspired to create your own t-shirts, stickers or mugs, you could also give tmail a try, because it's a great way to experiment your ideas and take fast action with low risk. You'll find the links in the show notes, so write yourself a little reminder for later.

Zoe Greenhalf: 2:01

And let's get back to the episode. Just fucking start. How many times have people, or you yourself, told you this? And all you can think of is a million reasons why you can't do it? Trust me, I know what that feels like. But yesterday I realised something about starting. It's the key to unlocking all the other doors. Or put another way, it's like the first domino, and I hadn't really considered it before, but I was out for breakfast with a friend and she told me how starting the podcast has changed me, because it's been the catalyst for everything else. It created momentum for me to then take more action and, as I would often consider myself more of a thinker than a doer, I realised in that moment that starting one thing truly has helped me to change my identity, because it's given me the confidence to keep taking action. The other thing you may have heard people say a lot is to ask yourself who you want to be and then commit to becoming that version of yourself. Have you ever heard that? Anyway, I think that in the end, that's what I did.

Zoe Greenhalf: 3:32

The podcast was something that I talked about and I'd wanted and I dreamed of for literally years, but the thing that finally got me over the start line and actually recording it was boring myself to death with dreaming and never actually doing anything about it. I remember thinking am I really just going to keep imagining myself behind the microphone interviewing all these amazing people, or how am I going to find a way to make it happen? And at that point I made the decision to figure out how to create an episode. Does this sound like you? Have you ever had an idea that you wanted, or still want, so badly? Yet you could never quite bring yourself to begin? What stopped you?

Zoe Greenhalf: 4:33

I thought today we could take a look at some of these common blocks. For me, it was the fear of what other people thought. I knew that whatever I created wouldn't be perfect. I also wondered if anyone would listen, if my message would resonate and if they'd think I was a total weirdo. Starting a podcast also felt insanely vulnerable, because I know that absolutely anyone could listen to it, from friends and family to ex-bosses and ex-boyfriends. And, believe me, I know with 100% certainty that I can tick off all the above. Yes, they've all gone bloody tuned in, haven't they? So I guess the first thing I would say is if fear is your biggest block right now, the only way is through it.

Zoe Greenhalf: 5:30

Make the decision that you want the result more than anything else and commit to becoming the person that gets shit done and then make it as easy and resistance free as possible. Make it as easy and resistance-free as possible. The internet threw up all kinds of methods and different software equipment techniques, blah, blah, blah for starting a podcast. But there comes a moment where you have to just stop reading and researching and just make a bloody decision. Otherwise you get totally overwhelmed and you do nothing. I think people call it analysis paralysis. So I stopped looking for all the alternative ways and the professional processes and programs and stuff and I went with what I knew. All I had to do at the end of the day was record a conversation, so I used zoom to record it and garage band on my computer to edit it, because they were both familiar to me, and so then all I had to actually learn was how to use them a bit better. Scare factor had been wound right down and I was unable to get going.

Zoe Greenhalf: 6:47

So first make a decision to start and then stop worrying about the best way and instead look for the easiest one, the easiest way for you that allows you to test your idea without putting yourself under loads of pressure. You can always improve and invest in other things further down the line. But what if your block is actually self-doubt and you don't think you can do it? Ask yourself, what's the worst that can happen. Seriously, what's the worst that could happen If you started writing that book that you've been wanting to write for years and then it doesn't work out because you don't have time, you don't like your idea anymore, or it's just actually way harder than you first thought? What's the worst thing that's going to happen? No one's going to die because you changed your mind or couldn't finish the thing.

Zoe Greenhalf: 7:48

You've got to try things, you've got to experiment, you've got to play around and also be prepared to fail a few times, because these are the stepping stones to your success, and often confidence comes from taking action. Success and often confidence comes from taking action. You can look around for evidence of other people succeeding at what you want to do and, rather than feel intimidated by their success and comparing yourself, try instead to ask yourself why not me? Why not me? It will have you admiring where they're at and getting curious about how they got there, rather than telling yourself it's not possible for you. People have proved time and time again that you can come from nothing and still end up a millionaire. Find the people doing what you want to do, learn about them, implement their strategies, emulate them to a certain point and then watch how you fly.

Zoe Greenhalf: 8:53

If you still don't believe that it's possible for you, I'd encourage you to work on your beliefs, identifying the limiting ones that are holding you back, such as I'm not enough, or I don't know the right people, or I wouldn't know where to start, and explore where these beliefs have come from. Are they actually yours or are they things that people have told always be rewritten? You know, just like rules. Block number three could be that, whilst you're keen to get started on something, you actually haven't figured out what that thing is yet. It's all well and good as talking about the big dreams and ideas, but it can also feel really difficult when you know that you like something different but you just can't put your finger on what that looks like. Again, I'd suggest looking at your beliefs. Do you really not know what you'd love to do, or did you once have an idea and then dismiss it because it didn't feel possible for you? Sometimes we can get swayed by the logic. For example, I've studied this thing. This is what I know and where my experience lies, and so therefore it makes sense to carry on in this field. Yeah, fine, but what if that makes you really fucking miserable? Is it really worth being unhappy for eight hours a day? That's a massive chunk of your week that's given over to the thing you don't enjoy very much, and won't that also impact on your overall mood, your relationships, the way you feel about yourself? I think so.

Zoe Greenhalf: 10:50

Some years ago, I studied social media management when my son was a baby, with the idea of starting a new freelance career that would fit around being a new mum. That would fit around being a new mum Now. On paper, it was a great choice, but at the end of the course I knew that my heart wasn't in it enough to make it my career. Luckily, whilst I was learning all about Facebook and how Instagram works. I connected with a life coach and I told her I just didn't know which direction to head in. I felt stuck. I had a baby, I had a half hobby making leather goods and I had the potential to start a business as a social media manager. But something about it just didn't light me up and I was getting anxious. More anxious the sooner or later I would have to return to the default job of teaching English, something I'd been desperate to leave before I got pregnant.

Zoe Greenhalf: 11:54

Through our coaching sessions, she helped me to see that the thing I really wanted to do was to create a brand from my leather goods and start selling them. But I found it really difficult to admit that to myself because it felt like the risky choice. Why? Because I bought into that belief that society tells us about how hard it is to make a living as a creative and stuff like well, there's no money to be made in handmade things anymore. I didn't think it was possible for me to turn a hobby into a business and have the money and freedom I was dreaming of, freedom I was dreaming of and the social media world felt safer, more logical and also easier to explain to the people around me. You want to know what happened. Well, in having this conversation, she told me that I was looking for someone else to give me permission to choose the thing that my heart wanted over the thing that made sense to my head. But really I didn't need anyone's permission, I just had to listen to my gut. Well, if that's all I had to do, it was really easy. I knew that I had to try building the leather brand and see where it would go.

Zoe Greenhalf: 13:15

People did ask me why I wasn't using the skills that I'd just spent a year learning, but I told them I was because I was using them to build my own brand. I started selling my wallets and key rings and stuff on Etsy and I made a bit of money. Friends and family also bought stuff from me and although I wasn't raking in the dough, I was happily designing and making to my heart's content, until I felt something else coming through, because in all those hours spent sewing and cutting in my basement, I've really got into podcasts and as I listened to a few that spoke about starting a small business or doing the things you love, I realised how much I enjoyed all the mindset talk and remembered also how much I'd love learning new things. Completely unconsciously, I'd gone from listening to self-development podcasts to keep me company to then actively wanting to go into the basement and make something. So I had the excuse to listen to the podcasts and now here I am, fully embracing my passion for mindset and personal growth all these years later.

Zoe Greenhalf: 14:29

But would I have ended up here if I'd taken the safe route and started a business running people's social media accounts for them? I don't think so. If you're a small business doing things differently, an independent brand disrupting the status quo, or simply an unconventional, adventurous individual looking to make more of a positive impact, I'd love to hear from you so we can share your story or create some amazing sponsorship opportunities together. I'm always open to collaborations too, so DM me on Instagram at the Mischief Movement. So can you see how sometimes, choosing the things we enjoy it doesn't mean that they're the things we'll end up doing or that they're the end goal. Sometimes they're the perfect doorway into something else.

Zoe Greenhalf: 15:28

And just in case you're still unsure what other things you might enjoy, you could try this exercise Let go of all the shoulds, musts and have tos. Get out of your own way and ignore that inner voice that will be telling you to stop being ridiculous or that you could never do that. Remember, anything is possible. So you've been given two billion pounds to set up a business. You are now so wealthy that you can create something that you love, which is fun and makes you so happy. You could literally spend all your time working on it and never feel resentful or unhappy. Now make a list of all your ideas. Don't censor them, even if they feel silly or unrealistic. Aim to collect about 10 and once you have your list, pick out the top three that really excite you. This doesn't mean the easiest or the most realistic the ones that light you up and start to analyse what it is about each idea that feels good. Look for some themes and if that inner critic starts chirping away again about how it wouldn't be possible for you, come and get some coaching with me and we will squash that voice and get you moving forward.

Zoe Greenhalf: 16:52

When I did this exercise five years ago, I had four things that lit me up. The first was creating my own leather accessories brand called Mischief and Hide, and they were going to be accessories that were not boring, run of the mill, traditional blandness, but exciting, distinctive, quirky and empowering in some way that would make people feel like an absolute badass empowering in some way that would make people feel like an absolute badass. I also linked this brand to running workshops from a studio which also had a retail space and event space for building community. My second idea was a female focused motorbike riding school with a retail and bar space where I could host events, meetups, workshops and gigs, maybe even with scholarships and ways to empower women with self-confidence. The third idea was a handmade boot business, because I just love cowboy boots and I used to design shoes for a living. And the final idea was to set up a beautiful yet affordable co-working space which would have these wonderful meeting rooms, studios and put on events and become a place to like, nurture creativity, for networking, self-care and community. So even though this was five years ago, it's really interesting to me to to read back over them and see that I was already thinking about fostering a sense of community, empowering people and helping them build confidence through doing things they love. Interestingly, another idea from that same list was to start a podcast and I quote so I could share my ideas and help others, but with what exactly I don't know.

Zoe Greenhalf: 18:42

Funny how things work out, isn't it? You may be stuck in that place of I don't know enough or I'm just not an expert, but remember that nobody starts off knowing all the things. Everyone has had to start from zero. It's just that social media fools us into thinking that success happens overnight. It doesn't Take the pressure off yourself to be an expert, and allow yourself to be a beginner. When you're a beginner, you can embrace the fun without the pressure. You can do things that you love, just for the pure joy you get from doing them. Would you really want to skip that whole phase of exploration, experimenting, learning and discovering? This is the time when you start to understand where your skills are, who you are as a person and what you are or could be capable of. We're really lucky to live in a world that has so much information available to us and it lives in a little device in our pocket.

Zoe Greenhalf: 19:53

Yes, I know it can also be overwhelming at times and our phones are an unhealthy distraction, but once upon a time you had to achieve certain grades to get on the right degree, to get the best marks, to find the right job, etc. Etc. But now you can literally sign up to a self-study platform like Skillshare or Udemy and learn on your lunch breaks. You can find ebooks for 99p on Amazon, and you can find all sorts of free lead magnets, webinars, instagram lives and, of course, let's not forget podcasts. There's one more big, badass block that stops people in their tracks, and that is money. Your dreams and goals can sometimes feel a bit pointless when you can barely afford your Netflix subscription, let alone buying any equipment or saving for that dream trip. I know what this feels like, and working on our money blocks, as they're called it, is a whole other episode, but I will say that I think the people who get themselves places are the ones who figure out how to just get started where they are with what they've got. There's always an entry point if you're prepared to look for it.

Zoe Greenhalf: 21:20

Remember what I said about starting this podcast. I bought a microphone on Amazon, I signed up to Zoom and I started editing with GarageBand because it was free. That's my entry point, but it won't be my forever method. My latest project is the online t-shirt shop and again I've chosen the easiest way I could think of to trial out some designs. I'm using a print on demand company, so I don't have to buy 500 t-shirts and have them sitting in my basement. They're printed and posted from the UK, so I don't have to sit forever again in the Italian post office. And if you've listened to the previous episode with Kate Campbell, you'll know just how happy I am. To avoid that awful place, I don't have to source a manufacturer or negotiate prices or deal with returns. So, yes, my net profit might not be huge, but that's also not the point at this stage. The point is just to try something that feels fun and offer products that you listeners have been asking me for.

Zoe Greenhalf: 22:29

Start where you are with what you've got. You can use your network of contacts. You can ask for help or guidance. Make things happen for yourself. Think outside the box. Use any free resources you have available to you. Get creative and don't take no for an answer. Persist with enough grit and determination, you will find a way.

Zoe Greenhalf: 22:57

Anyway, I hope that this mini episode has given you something to think about and enabled you to question your blocks and beliefs so you can decide whether you want to keep listening to them and that inner critic or bin them off. You know where to find me if you need help with that In the next episode. I have a brilliant guest for you whose speciality is to help you think differently, one thought at a time. So in the meantime, get dreaming and scheming about all those bold ideas you want to bring to life, and I'll be back in your ears again soon. Well, I hope you loved today's episode and it made you think differently, or perhaps nudged you into changing something in your life that's not working for you.

Zoe Greenhalf: 23:46

I'd love to give you a shout out right here on the podcast too, so let me know what you think, what you'd like to hear more of, or how you've been inspired to take bold action. Let's keep in touch over on Instagram @the Mischief Movement, or click the link in the show notes to sign up to my Mischief Mail newsletter, where you'll get exclusive insights on upcoming episodes and your chance to submit questions to future guests. But shh, don't tell anyone. It's our secret. Please keep spreading the word about the podcast. You're doing such an amazing job, and I'm also super grateful for your five star ratings on apple podcasts or spotify, which seriously help my mission to inspire and empower more people like us to choose mischief over mediocre. Have a great week and keep making mischief ciao.