"I'm not good enough."
Believing that sentence can wreak havoc on your mental health and will pretty much destroy your self esteem.
Now that I'm running my own business I really have no choice but to face this fear of inadequacy head on. How can I be oozing confidence if inside, I'm still doubting?
Dealing with my can't-measure-up attitude has been awkward, but necessary.
Feeling frustrated, I went and sought help in one of my business mentors. He gave me one of the best pieces of advice -- reach out to those who have paved the way before you.
Enter Chelsea Berler.
A friend of mine gave me her book, The Curious One: From Food Stamps to CEO.
"You have to read this."
And I did.
Here's a condensed version from the back of her book:
Chelsea is the CEO of a boutique, marketing agency that supports businesses around the world... The Curious One is the story of how Chelsea left behind the heartache of her past and found peace in her present. It's about the triumph that comes from living your life on purpose, not only when it's easy, but when it feels like your life is crumbling to pieces at your feet. With each turn of the page you'll discover the resiliency of boundless love, the power of commitment, the magic of acting curious, and what it takes to live with arms wide open.
Here's a Q&A with Chelsea about the power of entrepreneurship, determination and learning how to get better at saying, "I'm good enough." I've made some of her answers social media shareables so go ahead and use them.
How did your personal struggles in the past help you when you first started out as an entrepreneur?
It gave me the drive and determination to make something of myself. I knew I didn't want to just settle in and say, "This is my life and the cards I've been dealt." I wanted something more and...
What are the first four words that come to mind when you think of your story going from 'food stamps to CEO'?
Heartache, love, emotional, grateful.
When you think of your future, what do you see?
I try not to look too far into the future because it freaks me out a bit. I think all we have in life are moments...
You don't want to plan a life for you that hasn't even happened yet. Planning never works. :)
How was writing a book beneficial to your personal growth?
It was incredibly therapeutic. It was a roller-coaster of emotions. I've always been taught to deal with what you're going through and then move on and be forward thinking. Never look back. This book forced me to look back and relive so many things that were so difficult. But it was so good for me because it showed me how far I've come as a person and how my life was molded through each of these steps into the woman I am today. I'm incredibly grateful for that.
What advice do you have for those struggling to break through fear to start their own business?
Don't be fearful of it. Be fearful of what could happen if you DON'T do it. We have one life.
I personally have a lot of challenges when it comes to self-acceptance. I always feel like I'm not good enough and becoming an entrepreneur has really made me face this head on. It's still really tough though.
I always feel like I'm not good enough. It's a totally real and normal feeling. Because of how the world is today, it's common for us to get in our own way and say, "I'm not good enough for this," or, "I can't do this," or, "I don't even know how to make this happen"... but the truth is, you have to discover yourself in the process and continue to remind yourself that it's okay to not be perfect, or to not do things perfectly.
Why is it important to share your story (and I mean all of it- as you have in your book) with the world?
I was completely and entirely against it until my mentor asked me...
Of course I said yes, and then it all made sense. Since I published the book, I've received so many notes, emails and love about how the story changed the trajectory of their life. That's why I did it. It definitely wasn't for me. It was for people that are like me... that are just trying to find their way in the world. To remind them they're not alone.
Thank you, Chelsea, for your time and honesty.
Jessica