Kickstarter - Going It Alone

What makes a person decide to try crowdfunding? And what makes them decide to do it by themselves? It's a huge task, especially to get it right. There's a lot to consider: How to tell your story, the wording you'll use, how to present your video, costings, rewards, promotions, and press releases to name just a few.

When it's just you, crowdfunding can take over your life and it becomes a second job. And it's not just all the physical work that you have to put in. With it comes the emotional toll and it can become crippling when there's no one else to talk to about it.

Building a crowdfunding page was, for me, much like writing a novel. You have an idea and then, over months or years, you flesh that idea out. The “where”, “why”, and “what”. Slowly you begin to build a big picture that includes many intertwining paths. You carefully link these paths until they become a motorway that (hopefully) races along to your final destination.

I found that putting it together was relatively easy. It was hitting that “Launch” button that proved difficult. Crippled by self doubt and riddled with a tendency to self sabotage, I spent many weeks debating whether to launch the Kickstarter or not. Could I do it? Was it the right thing to do? I have no team to defer to and no one in my close circle has ever tried crowdfunding before. There was no one for me to turn to in order to vent my stress and worries. I was on my own, a pioneer staking my claim on a brave new world.

What's baffling is that despite my limiting beliefs, I know that I can bring this project to life. It's just getting over the crippling self doubt that can be the problem. Fighting a battle with yourself while trying to get a project funded is one of the hardest things I've ever encountered and it's nearly driven me to give up.

But I can't because I've come this far and, deep in my heart, I know that is the right thing to be doing. Fighting through the fears and the stress is just part of the process.

Don't let your fears become you. Don't let them take over your life. No matter what you're doing, take a deep breath and continue to fight through them. Your fears don't make you. Don't let them overwhelm you. Because you are more than that little voice in the back of your head. You are more than the self doubt. Just keep fighting through it until you come out the other side. You'll want to give up and you'll want to cry. If that happens, give up for a while and let the tears fall. But, once that's done, pick yourself up and and keep on going. Because life is meant to be beautiful.

To those who have taken the leap of faith with me and backed “Living Las Vegas”, thank you. Your love and support means the world to me. If you'd like to get involved, please do. We'd all love to have you along for the journey. I promise you that it's going to be a great ride.

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/raegee/living-las-vegas