Often, the domain of personal development assumes that total success is guaranteed through seamless confidence and innate talent. It feels good to think that if someone is certain about themselves enough, if they wait for the right time to start and defend their professional reputation with zeal, everything else will fall into place without any hassle. However, such a story often skips over the cruel truth that many people who want to achieve something have to deal with. To build a successful worldwide lifestyle brand, one needs to get past the paralysing fear of not being smart enough or ready enough. By waiting to be entirely comfortable, one locks all great ideas within a cage of perpetual perfection.
When reflecting on overcoming the fear of embarking upon entrepreneurship, Spanx CEO Sara Blakely managed to break down the barrier of emotions by describing an everyday ritual she would practice during her youth, which ultimately revolutionised her entire perception of success. Instead of celebrating perfection in the form of perfect grades or easy successes, her dad used to sit down during dinner time and ask his kids what they did wrong over the week. While the majority tries to mask their career blunders throughout their lifetime, Blakely’s epiphany was rooted in her family’s rituals.
