If you’ve ever doubted the path you’re on…

If you’ve ever compared your success {or lack of it!} to another entrepreneur…

If you’ve ever felt you should be doing this or that because so-and-so says it so…

You need to read Everything I Know by Paul Jarvis.

You know how much I love templates, ready-to-use stuff because it allows us to tweak, customize them and tailor them to suit our life, our seasons, our unique personalities.

That is why I fell in love with Everything I Know.

It gives you a template without being cookie-cutter about it.

It lets you choose your own adventure, as Paul aptly puts it.

Blaze Your Own Path, Create Your Own History

At the risk of using one of the most over-used words in this industry, being authentic is something Mayank and I value deeply.

Whether it is in sharing what works for us or in offering services and products that we truly believe in, being authentic and coming from a place of service is central to us.

Last year, I went through a period of doubt. Serious doubt about the path we were on.

I felt as if I “should” be doing what many experts said. And I did.

I felt that because so-and-so was doing something, I should follow their lead. And again, I did.

For a while, I did what everyone else as doing or at the very least telling me to do and you know what, it made me feel awful.

I hated what I was doing and that hit me hard. This business is what I love. How could I hate it?

Why did everything I was supposed to be doing felt unnatural and “not me”.

Because it wasn’t.

Just because folks tell you something works, it doesn’t mean that it would work for you.

Maybe it does for them and good for them.

But if it feels icky, strange, forced, and unauthentic, then you need to press pause.

Which is what I did.

Paul’s book gave me the encouragement I needed at a time when I was feeling a little lost and unsure.

I resonated with SO many Jarvis-isms {yes, Jarvis-isms!}

“Courage doesn’t come from an absence of fear; it comes from being afraid and moving forward anyway.”

“The world rewards people who try things and come up with new ways of doing business.”

My absolute favorite? This one.

“Sometimes it is better just to bake a new pie. You can flavour it exactly how you want and even use a killer new recipe.”

Because… first off, baking and business DO go together. Thank you!

And secondly, I don’t know about you, but I *just* needed someone, someone to tell me that it’s okay for me to do business, the way I want to and not how “they” want me to.

Sidenote: Mayank right now has his “I told you so” face on because he does say that, but… hey, y’know what I mean, right?;)

So, if you need someone to inspire you to take action, get out of that rut, quit following every shiny object out there, and “choose your own adventure” get your copy of  Everything I Know. You’re welcome 😉

Disclosure: I have included affiliate links in this post. You wouldn’t be paying anything extra but I’ll be saying “thank you” to you when I buy my coffee this weekend;)