As a recovering perfectionist, this has taken me quite some time to absorb.

I remember catching myself thinking that I would start something “when” — and it had to do with knowing more. I was talking with somebody about how I felt like I didn’t have enough knowledge yet, and they interrupted me and said, “Don’t you have your PhD?”

And I remember stopping and feeling almost confused. Well, of course, but….I thought in my mind. I mean — on the one hand, going through a PhD program gives you knowledge of how to conduct (and criticize) research, and you go really deep in knowledge in one or two areas, but I had never even thought that having my PhD meant I had “enough” knowledge.

It honestly took me shifting the frame from “Will they think that I know enough?” to “Do I believe I know enough to add value to them?” And that answer quickly became “yes.”

Did I believe that I could “perfectly” answer any question they threw at me? No. And that used to terrify me. And then I realized that it’s ok to say “I’m not sure” on that one — or even to say “I’m not sure, but let me think out loud” and see if I can share something that gets their wheels moving — or even better — triggers a thought in somebody in the audience who can share it and add value — and really get that community piece moving.

Just this morning in conversation with the amazing Kayla Wonisch I told her that I feel like I regularly do things in my business “too early” — before I’m ready. Which means that I don’t have certain pre-requisites in place to get the most from my efforts. But I know that I always learn when I move myself forward even on the things that seem like “mistakes.”

It sounds cliche, but it’s so true — no real mistakes — just learning. :)

And — as far as investing in myself — I have made some investments in myself, but the first investment I have made in an online program is yours, Benjamin Hardy, (AMP) and I’m really enjoying having the portal to check on and watch videos and interviews — and I’m exposing myself to more and more content — like now I signed up for Darren Hardy’s DarrenDaily — and I love having his video content to watch while I brush my teeth each morning.

Thanks for all that you do, Benjamin!