Don’t let social media fool you: growing a successful business doesn’t depend on the number of courses you buy or business coaches you work with. The key to growing a successful business is honestly pretty dang simple (and a lot cheaper than that).

Let me tell you a story (if you stick with me, I promise I do eventually make a good point!)

I was a die-hard runner for most of my life. I was that girl that beat allll the boys on the playground growing up, and I chose which D3 college to attend based entirely on the caliber of the track program.

I know you just read “D3” & discounted my experience a little bit (it’s fine, I do it too). But when I say I chose a college based on the track program, I mean I chose the TOP (literally, National Champion) Women’s track program in the country.

My freshman year, I got my butt HANDED to me every single day.

I’ll spare you (& my ego) the details, but the point is — I wasn’t great that year. I prayed every day that I would just make it through practice without passing out.

I was working harder than I ever had in my life, and all I had to show for it was a lot of tears & very sore legs.

Fast forward to my senior year, my coach would routinely make me add on extra to our workouts at the end of practice because I was still smiling too much 🤪 and I have 6 All-American trophies hanging out in my basement to show for it (I feel weird saying that, but I know it adds to the story, so let me humble brag for a hot second 😅).

Do you know what switched? This is the kicker, the thing I really don’t want you to miss: 👇

The ONLY reason that I got better is because I worked really hard, every day, all year round, for many mannnny years 🤯

I see a lot of messaging online that says the opposite: “You don’t have to work THAT hard! Your business should feel easy! REST.”

And while I understand the intent of that messaging is not to be damaging, I think it can be when that’s all we’re seeing. If you don’t put in the work it takes to actually get really good at your craft, you’ll never be as good as you could be.

So whether you’re a designer, a copywriter, a coach, an askldfjaslkd:
There is no substitute for putting your head down and just doing the work in order to eventually be one of the BEST.

P.S. I’m NOT telling you to ignore your mental health or boundaries. This is just a gentle reminder that we all have to start somewhere on the road to growing a successful business, and it’s okay – necessary even – to feel uncomfortable.