Nearly three years ago, when I first came up with the concept of Entrepreneur Meal Plan, it was supposed to be a journal entitled, “Entrepreneur Meal Plan: 52 Weeks of Food for Your Mind, Body, and Soul.” However, after I interviewed close to 50 entrepreneurs, I realized that a journal wasn’t going to be enough. The message I received from those entrepreneurs was that people want a community, a place where they can exchange ideas and figure things out. And since I didn’t feel like I was in a position to deliver on that idea, I put the entire thing on hold.

Now let’s dissect this:

  1. I’d interviewed almost 50 entrepreneurs.
  2. I’d been running my own business development firm for four years at the time.
  3. I’d identified a problem.
  4. I’d received a solution from my target market.

BUT …

I just aborted the mission because I “felt” like I was unable to offer any value.

Wait! What? 😳🤦🏽‍♀️

Looking back on that time, I think I was dealing with a bit of imposter syndrome, which means that I had doubts about my accomplishments, along with a persistent fear of being exposed as a fraud. I just didn’t think I was qualified to be the leader of a solution for entrepreneurs when I didn’t have it all figured out myself. But what’s ironic is that my motivation for creating this resource in the first place was to share what’s it’s like to become an entrepreneur, not simply highlight the results. Talk about getting in my own way. Geez.

I let my insecurities stop me from moving forward with what I knew was needed and from acknowledging that I was the right person to make it happen. It’s funny how your personal limitations show up in your business.

And while I occasionally think about where EMP could be today if I’d started it back then, for the most part, I celebrate my growth instead. I’m proud of my ability to go back into the kitchen, gather my ingredients, and create something delicious.

Food for thought: The same ingredients don’t have to lead to the same results.

For instance, let’s say that you go into the kitchen and all you have is a potato, corn, black beans, and salsa. From those ingredients, you could prepare a baked potato topped with corn, black beans, and salsa, or you could make a black bean burger. Either way, you’d end up with something amazing, which leads me to this final point …

Don’t get stuck trying to figure out the perfect recipe. Just get in kitchen, and get to work!