Starting your own company is a process.  You start from square one and then start slowly building and building and building.  There are gates along the way that show your commitment to the journey.  Coming up with the idea.  Buying the URL.  Investing in product development.  It goes on and on.  

At each gate you ask yourself, "Am I ready to take this next step"?  Each step requires an investment in either time or resources or cash.  As you move forward the investment gets higher and higher and higher.  Your commitment continually gets tested. 

As you move through this process you need to think long and hard.  You always have the opportunity to pump the breaks and stop.  Things change and you must always survey whether these changes lead to you really considering stopping or pivoting.  Maybe an investor backed out?  A co-founder is getting cold feet?  A competitor just came out with a new compelling product?  It could be ANYTHING. 

Jumping in too fast and too hard might blind you to some red flags around you.  That could work sometimes because the thinking could slow you down too much.  In many instances the red flags are helpful to see and think about. 

I am looking to launch a golf brand.  I have started the journey.  Got the LLC.  Got the URL.  Have the brand logos.  That has all costed me some time and money, but I have been excited.  My current next step is to buy the prototypes.  This is a decent size cash outlay that makes my stomach gurgle a bit.  Its a big step forward and a big commitment level. 

I have looked at the website where I need to make the prototype order for multiple nights in a row.  The product is in the cart and I am staring at the checkout.  I look at the cost....and it hurts.  I look at the product....and get excited.  I then look at the cost....and it still hurts.  I literally have filled out the credit card information, shipping info, etc....and have hovered over the "buy" button.  I just haven't been able to pull the trigger. 

Pulling the trigger escalates my commitment.  Its a pivotal moment.  I can still back out later, but the cash outlay is significant enough that I would be pissed if I just stopped a couple of weeks from now.  I will continue to think on this and decide what makes sense for me.....now. 

This is a very real feeling and its ok progressing....or stopping.  This is a personal decision and you need to get anyone else's judgement out of it.  This is about YOU.  YOU are the person who needs to lead this.  YOU need to have the passion.  YOU need to have the energy.  If you get to a gate and just aren't feeling it anymore, then really listen to that.  Talk to people.  Figure out why you are having the tension.  Is it a natural nervousness/excitement or is it something bigger? 

I want to share that its natural.  I was all in on this idea a few months ago and now I am seeing it a little different.  I am still excited, but have to recalibrate to ensure my soul is still into it. 

I will keep you all updated!