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For All You Small Fish in Big Ponds

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Yesterday I got a very encouraging and uplifting e-mail from someone at a time when I really needed it. You know when you’re having one of those days when nothing seems to be going right and you just want to throw in the towel? Then a stranger out of the blue lifts your spirits. There were a number of people over the past few days who have reached out to lift my spirits, and I’m thankful for all of them. But there was something about this particular letter that really moved me. This person shared how they felt like a guppy in a big pond. Like their contribution would not really make a difference. But, despite being a guppy, they wanted to reach out to me.

Their little action made an exponentially huge difference. This was my reply to them:

Never doubt the power of even the smallest guppy. David, who brought down Goliath, was a “guppy.” And the one who ended up destroying the Ring to rule all Rings, was a tiny Hobbit, the smallest, most insignificant of races in Middle Earth. I think there’s a reason JRR Tolkien made the hero a Hobbit. To remind and encourage the “guppies” of the world that they CAN make a difference.

So I make this plea to all the guppies of the world. If you’ve ever felt small and insignificant…

If you’re not one of the cool or popular kids…

If no one ever comments on, likes, or +1’s your blog posts…

If no one ever comments on or likes your Facebook posts…

If you no one ever retweets your tweets…

If no one ever makes you their #FF recommendation…

If you can count on two hands the number of views your Vimeo videos have…

If no one ever re-pins your posts on Pinterest or re-blogs your Tumblr…

If you’ve ever felt like that proverbial small fish in a big pond…

If any of these things make you feel small and insignificant, remember you’re not; that sometimes the biggest waves are caused by the smallest “fish,” in many cases precisely because no one expects it from them.

But if you expect it from yourself, “kid, you’ll move mountains!“

Comments

  2. Did you hear that? I think it was all the guppies in the world smiling at the same time.

    Thanks, Ron Dawson. Today you may call me Frodo … Frodo Baggins.

  4. Thanks. I have been dealing with a serious crisis of confidence this week. I’m a new company (under a year old) and feel like I’m getting nowhere and no one likes me! It’s been tough getting this thing going but I have to keep reading posts like this to encourage me more. I’m trying to remain optimistic for the upcoming new year. Keep telling us small fish that we’re fine. Thanks again.

    • Thanks for sharing Sean. Ten years from now when you are living large and doing more videos than you ever imagined you would, you’ll still encounter crises of confidence. So, don’t feel weird or anything. It’s part of the business. Hang in there and continue to listen to your gut, be true to your vision, and work your butt off.

  5. Ron, on so many levels you make a daily contribution to THIS creative and my fledgeling business. I don’t often have time to respond to all your posts but I was compelled to respond to this one.