Operation Already Awesome: No Trophies Required

I've been binge-watching Chopped again lately (my guilty pleasure!) and something struck me that I just had to share with you.

There is a moment in every episode when the host asks the chefs why they're competing. I started noticing a pattern in their answers that got me thinking about us entrepreneurs.

Many responses fall into two camps: either "I want to prove to the haters that I'm good enough" or "I want to make my family proud." Sound familiar?

Listen, I totally get it. Who among us hasn't wanted to silence critics or make our loved ones beam with pride? I've been there more times than I can count. But here's what fascinates me about those "prove the haters wrong" contestants...

They're spending SO. MUCH. ENERGY. on something that literally cannot happen.

Y'all. There is no win big enough to change a hater's mind. Those folks have already decided their opinion of you, and no amount of money, degrees, or awards will change that.

And on the flip side, those competing to make others proud? The truth is that our real friends and family don't love us for our wins. They love us for who we are, period.

What if those chefs simply chose to believe they were the very best at what they do? No matter what anyone else thinks?

This dragonfish salad is going to kick some a$$.

The real question isn't "how can I make others see my value?" but "what if I chose to have pride and confidence in myself, regardless of outside opinions?"

This is all part of the Epic Engagement Maneuver "Know Thyself." When you truly know who you are and choose to believe in your own excellence, you stop needing external validation.

My own journey has been a step by step leaning into this observation. Instead of trying to manage what others think about me (which is impossible), I focus on managing what I think about myself.

It ain't easy. And it isn't an overnight process. It takes a lot of gentle (and sometimes not so gentle) reminders.

But I truly believe that it's a mindset shift that has taken me from worrying where my next client was coming from to running a profitable business without fear.

I've got a 24 hour challenge for you.

Just for one day, manage your self perception. No matter what happens, stubbornly choose to believe that you are the very best at what you do. Remind yourself before every appointment if you have to.

And see what happens next.

You can start the clock right now. 24 hours. You have nothing at all to lose. And a world of amazingness to gain.