I just recently finished reading a book called Opening Moves by Steven James. It is a prequel to a series of crime novels about a Detective named Patrick Bowers. They are great reads if you enjoy detective/murder mystery/thriller fiction. In this one that I just read, one of the characters said,

“Every dead end shows you more clearly the pattern of the labyrinth. You now have one more piece of information that will help you fail your way to success” (page 365).

This stuck out to me because just this weekend, mom and I launched our In A Tickle Etsy Shop. We were nervous to press that “Open Shop” button, knowing that it was out there and actually happening. There is a little part of us that was afraid of failure, and maybe a little part of us that was afraid of success. What if nobody likes our designs? What if nobody buys any? What if tons of people love our designs and want to buy a whole bunch and we don’t have the time to make them all?

Everything we do brings a potential for a mistake, for a failure, but if we can’t just move on ahead and make them, then how will we learn? So much can be learned in a failure as long as we don’t give up. You just have to try.

And one thing I am learning is that being afraid of success is probably one of the silliest things you could ever be afraid of. NEVER be afraid of success. God wants YOU to succeed. God told Joshua in Joshua 1:7-9,

Be strong and very courageous. Be careful to obey all the instructions Moses gave you. Do not deviate from them, turning either to the right or to the left. Then you will be successful in everything you do. Study this Book of Instruction continually. Meditate on it day and night so you will be sure to obey everything written in it. Only then will you prosper and succeed in all you do. This is my command—be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid or discouraged. For the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.

So we decided to be courageous; we said a prayer and pushed that button.

We will soon see if our work up to this point was a success or a failure, but you can guarantee that if it fails, we will keep trying. We will keep designing. We will keep creating until we find that success.

Miss Tickles is a fan of our products at least!