Potatoes & you

One of the most powerful lessons I’ve learned about running a successful business came from potatoes. 

Years ago, I worked as a personal chef cooking meals for local families. Some clients were a joy to work with. Others were not.

One week, a joy-client and a not-joy-client each asked me to make mashed potatoes. The joy-client loved them, and couldn’t stop talking about how light & fluffy they were. The not-joy-client complained that they were gluey.

Next week, same requests. Once again, joy-client was thrilled and not-joy-client was not thrilled. I wasn’t surprised because I tasted the potatoes myself and they were completely different. Same ingredients, same technique, same cook, different outcomes.

It finally dawned on me - the only difference was the energy I brought to the task. It was a pleasure to work with joy-client, so their potatoes were light as air. It was a chore to work with not-joy-client, so their potatoes weren’t.

Here’s the learning: the energy we bring to what we do determines the outcome. I knew this way back when, and recently had it clarified in words by my mentor (who learned it from her mentor).

This holds true for any effort you’re making. Especially in your business.