So this week, a content provider called Game Trailers shut down. GT is made up of a group of dudes + Elyse. I've grown quite fond of them over the years. They live-stream, podcast, and produce a ton video game related content. I don’t watch them personally. For me, they were the friendly background chatter that meant Dusty was home. I didn't always understand everything they were talking about. But it's hard to see people that passionate about a subject and not be more interested in it. I know they were special to Dustin and to the gaming community as a whole. Despite being so special, they were all fired in one fell swoop this week.
Hours after being let go, they streamed a heartfelt farewell on Twitch. In the end Brandon Jones, founder of GT, gave a speech and I heard every single feel I have ever felt about losing your job, your business, and your dream.
Skip to the one hour mark unless you want to watch a bunch of dudes play Grand Theft Auto!
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Last year, I was let go from two jobs and it did a brutal number on my heart. I had all these doubts. Was I a valuable person in any way? Did I do any good work at all? Looking back, if I had not been let go, I never would have left. I’m not one to let go. I am a stick-it-out-to-the-end type of person, even if what I’m sticking to is not right for me. I feel like if I let go, I’ve failed in some way. I think that might be an entrepreneur thing.
This stream made me hug our business a little tighter and release it a little bit more at the same time.
There is so much hard shit you have to do when you run your own business. There's a lot of responsibility that doesn't look beautiful and trendy in an Instagram feed. The trade off is being able to make the big decisions about your work. It's such a gift. Brandon's speech helped me let go a little bit of the permanence. When I start something, I usually think that it will be a forever thing. Diets, decaf coffee, clean bathrooms, these things don't last forever. Maybe dreams don't last forever either? If so, that's okay. It sucks, but it's okay.
As entrepreneurs, we will never know what’s to come, but we can’t let that keep us from pursuing our passions. We can’t base our value as humans on the work we produce or the way the world sees us. Good or bad.
The only thing we can really do is work hard at something we love and enjoy each stage of our journey as it is.
There’s a balance to this that I have yet to nail. But I know the only way to build balance is to be open to falling, right? What do you think? Where are you at in the state of entrepreneurship?
P.S. I totally jacked this title format from my friend Angie Webb’s amazing series on getting things done. Go read. It’s amazing!