Ready, not ready. Expert, novice. Professional, amateur. Are we ever fully baked, polished and ready for mass consumption?
Being an entrepreneur comes with it’s fair share of naysayers. We’ve all been there – yes or yes!? I was recently challenged by a well-meaning family member asking “how can you possibly offer life advice to others when you don’t have all your own sh*t together?” It was an arresting [attack] to be sure. I paused, pondered and reflected for quite some time. Am I an imposter? Every time I stand in front of a willing audience am I defrauding them? Do I need to have all the answers and be perfect before having something to OFFER?
If you’re reading this, you know the refrain well. Of course NOT! True, we teach what we need but how better to share than from the truth of our own experiences completed or otherwise. To be flawed is human. To be in-between is also human. And more human than any other quality is hopefully never to be fully baked. I think that’s when they close the lid and bury us 6 feet under. Sure, it’s comforting to hear of the poor single mother with no money for her child’s diapers and only $11.46 in the bank who made it to the other side. And yes, we all love hearing turn-around success stories when newly minted millionaires go from 3 figures to 7 figures and beyond! These are the stories that give us hope when we are in-between. When our loved ones challenge us and when we wake in fear at 3am wondering if we’re going make it.
If you’re like me and at early to middle stages of “making it,” then try this on for size. An offering. That’s what you’re coming with. As is. MVP – Most Viable Product is ready now! If you can tell a story any story, a mere couplet ahead of the finished novel that is your life and share it from the heart, then you must. Knowing through and through that your offering will help someone is reason enough to silence the objections and pervading shouts of fear. Stand strong, stand tall in your person with your gift and offering to the world. It’s yours and your purpose is to share.
My gift and offering to you is the finest drug of choice the planet has to offer: Meditation. I’ve been that upset, depressed, anxiety ridden and suicidal person desperate for a solution out of my darkness. I turned to meditation after trying everything else. The daily practice is my saving grace and platform for launching my dreams. With arms outstretched, this is my offer to you.