I set out to make a pumpkin pie but I didn’t have any pumpkin.
There was a kabocha squash in my pantry though.
I’ve made the pie with butternut squash before so I figured, why not? Let’s give it a go.
As I baked and scraped the flesh from the shells, I was reminded of how so often I hear from people who are new to a business — maybe they’ve transitioned there from the corporate world or they’ve pivoted from one successful business to one where they have to start all over again — that they don’t feel confident.
I can relate to that. When I started my coaching business nearly six years ago, I had worked for 18 years in news and corporate communications. I knew nothing about business, and it was scary. I felt intimidated, self-conscious, and insecure most days. Here I was with a great, impactful idea but I didn’t feel confident in it yet because I felt like I didn’t have the experience. Good thing I was also incredibly determined. It took a while, but I realized I had skills from my life and career that could help me in my business. Once I got it, got that the experience I’d built from the corporate world applied directly to running a business, I was off to the races.
Of course, there are always areas where we can learn and grow. I did my share of investing in my own learning and development. The same applies to you. There will be areas where you will need to up level your skills and learn new things. As business owners, we always will need to adapt and grow and stay ahead of the curve. Many people who get coaching from me want help with the systems and supports to strengthen their business. They want to show up to their desks knowing exactly what to focus on that day, that week, that month, and that year to create results. They want the confidence that comes from being more consistent. If that’s something you want support with, book a strategy session.
Remember this:
No matter where you are on your journey, you are packed with so much goodness! You bring the spice, the cinnamon, the nutmeg, the ginger, to every opportunity you enter, regardless of what it is. Your lived experiences, your skills, your truths, and your knowledge are critical to what you’re doing now. Trust that.
Just like I trusted that this different squash would turn into a delicious pie.
I may have used a substance I hadn’t before, but I mixed in the same spices and sugar and yumminess that I’ve poured into all of the pies that had come before it. Did I know how it would turn out? No. But I was willing to wager it would be tasty.
You are cooking up something tasty.
As my favourite fortune cookie fortune says, “You are packaged with intelligence and courage.”
Go on out there and ACT ON it!
(Yes, the pie was delicious. I’d share a picture, but it disappeared before I could take one.)
