finding your courage

Finding your courageChad Dickerson

CEO, EtsyHello Etsy (Berlin) - September 17, 2011

Video of talk: http://helloetsy.com/session/dickerson/

What is courage?

Courage

Fr. corage (12c., Mod.Fr. courage) "heart, innermost feelings; temper"

Finding your courage

Aboutyour heart

What do I know about courage?

Dad

Me Brother

Mom

My grandfather was a farmer.

He couldn’t read or write.

Fascinated by publishing

First job at a newspaper.

Things were moving to the web.

I worked really hard, teaching myself.

I became a software engineer!

All the while, I had a vague dream...

Reasons not to move there:

I was “settled.”

I knew no one there.

My whole family lived in North Carolina.

I had little money and SF is expensive.

My own mother didn’t want me to move.

So, lots of reasons not to do it.

There always are.

One reason to do it:I wanted to do it.

So I just did it.

(That was 13 years ago!)

It was difficult.

I almost went bankrupt.

It was totally worth it.

That decision to move changed my life.

That’s just one story.

Etsy is a community of inspired stories.

http://etsy.me/findcourage

I also looked for wisdom from people I admire on the

subject of courage.

What I learned.

Courage comes from doing.

You get [courage] by courageous acts. It's like you learn to swim by swimming.

— Mary Daly

Take the leap!

 "Start Anywhere." You will never have enough time, or training, or money, or

items to sell to feel like you are ready to start.— jennybuttons (Etsy Seller)

http://etsy.com/shop/jennybuttons

Once you start, you have to persist.

Opportunity is missed by most people because it is dressed in overalls and looks like hard work.

— Thomas Edison

[Persistence] is the key to success, because no one will be as committed to your dream as you. Every single day, minute by minute, you have to step forward, put yourself out there, and be courageous.

— peaseblossomstudiohttp://etsy.com/shop/peaseblossomstudio

Recognize that there’s no failure.

I have not failed 10,000 times. I have not failed once.

I have succeeded in proving that those 10,000 ways will not work.

When I have eliminated the ways that will not work, I will find the way that will work.

— Thomas Edison

You can only learn from your mistakes and when you're not making mistakes, enjoy the serendipity when it comes your way.

parispennsylvaniahttp://etsy.com/shop/parispennsylvania

Get support from your community.

sometimes you just need someone to believe in you to find the courage in yourself to overcome your fears.

— daniellexohttp://etsy.com/shop/daniellexo

...but be prepared to go your own way!

I did hear from discouraging or well-meaning people that I did not know what I was doing, which was true enough but I figure I'd learn along the way.

I heard there was no money in art, and the funniest, to me, anyway, was that the name I pick out for my shop was too foreign, that someone might think I'm a terrorist.

I kept going because it felt right.— MajafariDesigns

http://etsy.com/shop/majafaridesigns

Listen to your truest self.

Courage. . . . came from a burning desire to make our own path.

— theferriswheelshttp://etsy.com/shop/theferriswheels

When in doubt, go with your heart.

I’m not perfect, I’m perfectly myself.

— sherrytruitthttp://etsy.com/shop/sherrytruitt

That’s what courage is all about.

Start.

Persist.

Make mistakes.

Be true to yourself.

Finding your courage is really finding your heart.

Good luck in your journey.

Thank you.

http://etsy.me/findcourage