Embarking on the Journey of Now: Unraveling the Mysteries of Uncertainty

In the delicate dance between certainty and ambiguity, I find myself perched in the Period of Now—a realm where the path ahead is a haze, yet the conviction within me resonates stronger than ever. Join me in this exploration, where the unconventional becomes the norm, decisions echo through time, and the quest for self-awareness takes center stage. Welcome to Ground Control, where the enigma of the present unveils a narrative that transcends the boundaries of traditional introspection.

The Uncertainty of the Right Path

I’m currently sitting in this period of now. Which, you know, I get it.

What does that mean?

I don’t deliberately try to be tricky in my language. If anything, I’m striving to be more straightforward. But sometimes saying things in a traditional linear way doesn’t really embody the weirdness of what you’re trying to say.

So yeah, I’m currently sitting in this Period of Now! For me, that means I’m in a space of not being 100% sure what I’m doing or where I’m heading but being 110% sure that I’m on the right path.

The Challenge of Starting Anew

One of the more interesting aspects of building Ground Control is knowing that I don't actually know what it is I'm trying to accomplish.

Actually, that’s a half-truth. While I know what I’m trying to accomplish, starting a new tack, I’m just not completely certain about how I’m going about it.

Reflecting on Past Ventures

It's crazy to have spent 12 years building Pixilated and knowing that I've stacked a ton of skills and experiences that are extremely relevant to a ton of people. But being fairly stymied, by how those experiences should parlay into my next venture.

There's never been a doubt in my mind that I want to build another company. And I guess in that regard, I'm super lucky to not be confused. But I'm also hyper-aware that the next thing I build might last a very long time. Which is awesome; but it also means that I should not take lightly what I build.

Decisions and Staying Power

So often in my past, I have found myself making decisions about things because I anticipated them being short-term arrangements, only for them to last a very, very long time. When I bought my house, I thought to myself, this will work for now. I'll only be here for a few years and at that point in time, I can decide what it is I really want in a home.

Fast forward 17 years and I'm still here.

When I started Pixilated, I thought to myself, this will maybe last two years. Just long enough for me to plan and accomplish what I really want. 12 years later, and here I am.

The Power of Decisions & The Weight of Future Ventures

Are you picking up on the theme? The reality is so many of the decisions that we make have a tremendous amount of staying power. But we don't always realize it at the moment the decision is being made.

So now that I'm old enough to know that to really understand that wisdom for what it is. I want to make sure, in no uncertain terms, that the decisions I make from here on out are ones that I can see shaping my future.

Which is why deciding on my next venture feels so important. Don't get me wrong; I am a massive advocate for not overthinking things.

Any of you who have read my writing so far know having an MVP is, in my opinion, one of the greatest decisions you can make on any project.

Analysis paralysis, and overthinking your next step is the killer of all progress. So I try to keep that in the forefront of my mind. I do not want to sit on my hands for too long.

Balancing Act: Good Decisions and Progress

But I'm also seeking to balance that with good decisions. Quite frankly, I aim to choose a vision for this next project that excites me every single day and feels amazing.

So far, the process of writing for Ground Control has been enthralling. I know that’s a big word but anything less wouldn’t encompass the energy I’m getting from the process.

Every week that comes around, I can't believe that I finally pulled the trigger and got this thing launched. And here I am, edition number five.

From Interstitial to Core Pillars

But also, a big part of realizing this is about documenting what my next move actually is. Ground Control was initially planned as an interstitial place for the next move; not the actual next in and of itself.

A big part of the learning process has been finding the core pillars that I want my next effort to encompass. And I think I'm slowly but surely getting around to those.

And honestly, I don't think I'd be there without having started the writing process for Ground Control. Writing on a daily basis, the actual act of putting my ideas out into the world in writing on a weekly basis, has really helped me to identify the core pillars of what matter to me. And ultimately, those are the things that I need to build my next efforts around. So talking them through really enlightens me in that regard.

Identifying Core Pillars: Entrepreneurship, Community Building, and Self-awareness

I think those three pillars, while not completely defined, revolve around Entrepreneurship, Community Building, and Self-awareness. To be more specific, this is how I’m starting to see them.

• Entrepreneurship: Build Your Own Thing
• Community Building: Why Go Alone
• Self-Awareness: Know Thyself

I think the theme that I'm talking about mostly today falls under the self-awareness category. Knowing myself so that what I build honors it.

Looking Beyond: The Future of Ground Control

One of the things that I've been really trying to figure out with Ground Control is where does it go from here? That it starts to have a serious impact for everyone around me; that’s the community part.

I know that talking about self-awareness and self-consciousness is almost more for me than for anyone else. But at the same time, I also know that it resonates a lot with other people.

Understanding Personal Growth: "What Serves You"

Tons of people recognize that they aren't serving the best version of themselves. That they aren't showing up the way that they want to.

And that's a problem.

I think that when people read other people's writing and hear other people talking about these challenges, it empowers them to recognize those issues in themselves. It inspires them to look in the mirror and reflect. To realize that not only are they unhappy with their current circumstance, but that they have the power to be able to change it.

Challenges in Forward Movement: Playbooks

The reality is, you can know what you want and know that what you're currently doing isn't it and still not be able to find your way forward. In fact, I think that's probably more common than most of us realize.

I’ve said this a handful of times in my writing, but I’m going to say it again and again. Doing something hard is amazing. But it's also hard to do something hard.

I know, that’s a ridiculous sentence. But it’s worth saying in deliberate terms.

Overcoming Fear and Making Decisions

One of the things that make it so hard to do something hard is that we're never 100% sure why we're doing it. And ultimately if that thing that we're doing is really the right move to make.

Fear keeps us from so much. The fear of making the wrong decision. The fear of what others will think when we make that move. The fear that we can’t go back. And on, and on.

So it goes.

New Resolve: Seeking Community Support

So my question? My big, audacious, hairy question I keep asking myself?

Is there a community that is waiting to sit amongst these three pillars that I've identified?

Is there a group of people out there who want to support each other?

To learn through the hard stuff and figure out what the path through looks like for all of us?

I'm still in the early stages of figuring this out. But my hunch is that this is 100% a valid idea.

My question for you?

Would you join a community that would recognize you for where you are? Listen to what's keeping you from where you're going and helps you break through and move along and pursue your greatest self?

That sounds highfalutin and aspirational. But how else do you say it?

How else do you say this isn't me? I'm not there. And I know that I deserve to get where I'm going.

So aside from just coming outright and just saying it, I could use a lot of big words. I could talk a bunch of aspirational bullshit or I could just be direct and honest.

I think there are 1000s upon 1000s of us out there that aren't where we're trying to be. And that's a problem and we should solve it.

Call to Action: Your Feedback Matters

So my one question for you today if you're reading this? My single request is that if this resonates you Hit the Reply Button and say so.

That's it.

Thanks, guys. I appreciate every last one of you.

This is Ground Control.

-Patrick