088 Go ahead. Put it out there. (with guest Molly Kate Kestner)

If you’ve got it inside you, imagine what might happen when you take the risk to put it out there. In this week’s episode, Leary and Armin talk with guest Molly Kate Kestner, a small-town girl who took a risk that went viral.

Molly Kate Kestner, Leary, and Armin discuss:

• Taking risks by putting your work out there, even if it’s not “perfect.”
• Using your gifts to serve others.
• Dealing with the pressure, change, and fears that comes with success.
• Trusting God with the outcome.
• Learning how to deal with ulterior motives of people wanting to be friends.
• Building trust and relationships with others.
• Finding good mentors for support and confirmation about big decisions.

Selected excerpts of what Molly Kate Kestner had to say:

• “[I try to ask,] ‘How can I use this to make a difference and impact people?'”
• “In art forms… you can feel like what you’re doing is wasteful because it’s hard to compare that to an 8-to-5 job, but, to inspire and be inspired, you need to have those times that may seem or feel kinda wasteful in the moment, but the result is something incredible.”
• “As long as you know that what you’re doing serves a purpose… that’s what keeps me going: I’m doing this, regardless of what other people’s thoughts may be, regardless of my insecurities or doubts, I know this was what I was put on this earth to do.”
• “If I stay with this, this will be good, because this is what I’m supposed to do.”
• “One of the best decisions I’ve made this past year is finding people who can be mentors to me and speak into my life.”
• “Sometimes that means me not just waiting around until I feel inspired, it means me taking the step to push through that—taking the experiences and emotions I feel to write something beautiful and inspire someone else.”

Are you waiting for perfection before you share what you’ve created with others? We hope this conversation with Molly Kate Kestner has inspired you to reconsider waiting. Sometimes, the best things are worth doing the best we can do them today. Go ahead. Put it out there.

And, if you’ve taken a risk to put it out there, we’d love to hear about it, and any lessons you learned along the way.

Share your story or leave a question for Molly Kate Kestner, Leary Gates, or Armin Assadi in the comments below.

Resources mentioned during this podcast include:

• His Daughter, Molly Kate Kestner’s original song on YouTube.
• His Daughter, Molly Kate Kestner’s song on iTunes.