🏔 A Surprising Path to Clarity in My Vision
🏔 A Surprising Path to Clarity in My Vision
How an application shifted my view of what I feel called to create
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Every 1-2 weeks, I share a story and step-by-step framework to help you evolve into a stronger, more resilient, and adaptive human.
Growth Insight: A surprising path to clarity in my vision
Growth Framework: The questions that led to clarity
The Course You Need: Get on the waitlist…
Growth Insight: A Surprising Way I Found Clarity
I have long said that an entrepreneur’s greatest strength is their greatest weakness — the fact that they see opportunity everywhere.
Let’s be real.
This is not true of all entrepreneurs, but it is most certainly true for me.
I have spent years in perpetual distraction, getting drawn in by one shiny thing after another, and often wasting valuable time.
What’s more, I often invested that time in the (often rather half-baked or straight-up dumb) ideas or projects of others, short-changing my own work. I routinely felt like I was back at square one, starting over on MY vision.
On top of that, I struggled to commit to the work that I felt called to create, instead chasing what I thought were “smarter” endeavors that would bring in revenue, believing that eventually I’d have the time, money, and resources to devote to the work I feel is my true purpose.
One of the reasons why I took a day job last summer was because I thought it would help me detach my content creation efforts from the allure of easy money — P.S. It’s never “easy.”
I often speak and write about the importance of clarity in your vision.
Knowing what you want is the foundational step to creating a life of meaning, purpose, and progress.
Hell, 93% of my consulting work is focused on helping clients find that clarity and then charting the course that will get them there.
But for myself?
I have had a rather muddled vision, or perhaps a clear vision, but a beer-stained cocktail napkin version of a roadmap…messy, hard to read, and easy to ignore crumpled in my pocket.
And then I did something arguably a little silly, or at least objectively unlikely to bear fruit, and something fundamentally shifted inside me.
I applied for a fellowship.
Not sure who first shared it on Twitter, but somehow I found out about O’Shaughnessy Ventures Fellowship. They fund 12 creators, builders, or entrepreneurs each year, giving them a $100,000 grant to make something.
No strings attached, no equity, no repayment.
They simply give you the money, along with coaching, mentorship, and support to help you create something that will positively impact the world.
Now, I know this is one helluva long shot.
But at this point, I don’t care. Applying helped me get 💎 sparkling, dazzling, crystal clear 💎 on what I feel called to create.
Why did it have such a profound effect?
First, it was a long shot and I had nothing to lose. I wasn’t trying to make a “reasonable” pitch. I was shooting for the freaking moon!
Second, I wasn’t focused on revenue, but impact. There were no strings attached. They don’t want equity in something. The projects they fund don’t even need to make money. Again, I didn’t need to be reasonable. I could be audacious, inspired, and passionate. And I was.
Third, I still took it seriously. I got feedback from several friends. I tweaked my application answers over a few weeks. I recorded my pitch video multiple times, until it felt right.
No, it wasn’t perfect, but it was thorough and well-thought-out and it made me proud.
If you’re curious, read through my full application here, including my video pitch. Feel free to take a look and let me know what you think!
The questions that led to clarity
If you want to gain this clarity for yourself, answer these questions, but give yourself ample time, take it seriously, and SHOOT FOR THE MOON! ☄️
What work have you done in the past that you’re proud of?
Share links to your work if you have any.
Gathering the content that I felt proud to share and which bolstered my following pitch helped me reflect on the topics, style, and approach which felt most aligned with this vision. It also gave me some confidence that I could create something meaningful — at least to me.
And it helped me realize that I’ve been working on this for a while now, longer than I originally thought.
What domains or problems are you most interested in?
Why? What are unique insights you have about these spaces that others do not?
I particularly love the wording of this question — yes, it’s a little clunky, but it is open-ended in a way that I appreciate. Plus, it helped me think about not only the subject of my passion but why I feel uniquely called to bring these ideas to the world.
What would you work on if you are accepted to the fellowship? (Max 2000 characters)
This is perhaps the most obvious question, but its character limit helped me tighten my vision and explain it without unnecessary color and context. That honing exercise was critical for me.
If selected, what will success look like once the fellowship period ends?
The previous question and this one crystallized my vision of what I want to build in a way I didn’t fully expect. I now have a thorough, but still tightly constructed picture of what I want to do and how I would approach it. It felt like that roadmap I was describing above.
Just thinking about it gives me goosebumps.
What might failure look like?
What could be some of the original mistakes of your project? Do you hope to build off the work you explore during the fellowship?
As I sat with this question, my answer changed significantly. At first, I thought about practical concerns, some logistical, some strategic, but eventually I realized none of that truly mattered. I still included them because I know that’s what they were looking for, but it wasn’t the point.
The only thing that matters is my commitment. This will be successful, as long as I don’t quit. And damn, that revelation felt so freaking goooooooood!
If you prefer, send us your pitch in video format (youtube or vimeo link)
I tend to think best while speaking out loud. Having to explain my idea in a video allowed me to peel back the layers, discover a new level of depth, and paint a more nuanced picture of this vision, especially because I gave it multiple takes.
Combining the written word and the spoken felt magical to me.
Now, give this exercise a try and see what you discover. It’s only a few questions.
Make sure you answer each one while considering what it would be like to be paid $100,000 with no strings attached to create something amazing.
It doesn’t have to be reasonable or even something that makes you money (at least not at first). Instead, it’s something that can change the world and that you feel called to create.
Take your time and let me know what you discover. I would LOVE to bask in your vision.
The Course You Need:
Erica Schneider and I recently wrapped cohort #2 for Impactful Social Writing, our personal brand training program with 9.6 ⭐️ and a few dozen ardent fans. And we’re now creating the on-demand version specifically for solopreneurs, small-business owners, freelancers, and entrepreneurs.
Join the waitlist and get early access when it goes live in a few weeks…
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If there is ever a way I can help you, just leave a comment, reply, or slide into the DMs. I’m here for you.
In love and growth ❤️
Kasey