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07/10/13 | OOO, Videos

Yes Startupers, You Do Have Time for a Hobby

A designer at a startup explains how she managed to squeeze in learning to dance despite her insane schedule and what her accomplishment says about pursuing big dreams. 

By Karen X. Cheng (Designer, Exec)

People who watch me dance today sometimes assume I’ve been dancing for many years. I made this video so you could see the awkward body that started just one year ago.

Here’s my secret: I practiced everywhere. At bus stops. In line at the grocery store. At work — Using the mouse with my right hand and practicing drills with my left hand. You don’t have to train hardcore for years to become a dancer. But you must be willing to practice and you better be hungry.

This isn’t a story about dancing, though. It’s about having a dream and not knowing how to get there — but starting anyway. Maybe you’re a musician dreaming of writing an original song. You’re an entrepreneur dying to start your first venture. You’re an athlete but you just haven’t left the chair yet.

When you watch someone perform, you’re seeing them at the top of their game. When they score the winning point or sell their company for millions — you’re seeing them in their moment of glory. What you don’t see is the thousands of hours of preparation. You don’t see the self doubt, the lost sleep, the lonely nights spent working. You don’t see the moment they started. The moment they were just like you, wondering how they could ever be good.

This post originally appeared on Karen’s personal blog

What personal passion are you putting off either because you’re ‘too busy’ or it seems too difficult?

0ebe000About the blogger: Karen lives in San Francisco and is a designer at Exec. She enjoys creating something out of nothing, whether it’s a song, a logo, or the design of an app. She also likes to write and perform music and plays in a band, Electric Villain. At the moment though, her instrument of choice is cello. 

 

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