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There’s a misconception that successful people always start with a perfect plan. The key to growth is taking action, not overthinking. Success isn’t about having it all figured out; it’s about showing up, embracing imperfection, and allowing yourself to start messy. By letting go of high expectations and staying engaged, we give our ideas a chance to thrive.
SHOW NOTES
When we look at successful businesspeople, we assume they had a clear business plan, were surrounded by helpful resources, and confidently started marching toward their dreams.
The reality is that most businesses probably started like my first business.
I had no idea what gross or net meant.
When asked, “How is your business structured?”, I would respond, “Strongly.”
A five-year plan – heck, even a five-month plan – was laughable
I had no idea what I was doing, but I just pressed start. And I learned that it’s ok to learn by failing.
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Amplify with Jess is produced by Earfluence and brought to you by Mic Drop Workshop.
TRANSCRIPT
Welcome to Amplify with Jess, a show designed to help women get out of their heads and into their zone of influence. Happy Monday, everyone! Here’s some food for thought to start your week:
A lot of times, we look at successful people and believe they started with a perfect business plan, surrounded by resources, and confidently marching towards their dreams. But when I started my first business, I had no idea what “gross” or “net” meant. Someone asked me, “How is your business structured?” and I would answer confidently—yet I was completely clueless. Don’t even get me started about the pressure to have a five-year plan. I had no idea what I was doing, but I just pressed start.
One of the biggest lessons I’ve learned is that our ideas grow quicker, work better, and last longer when we engage with them—not when we overthink. In other words, you can analyze the chessboard all day long, but true clarity only comes when you start laying down the pieces.
We can think about our ideas, build plans, and create beautiful logos, but no kind of preparation compares to being on the mat, in the arena, actually playing it out. I used to be really good at just pressing start—just saying “yes” and figuring it out later. Then something shifted, and I began to feel like I was in a fishbowl, like everyone was watching me. Suddenly, everything I did or created had to be the absolute best, which had the reverse effect. When we feel like success is only winning the Super Bowl, we never even make it to the coin toss.
Setting the bar too high means it’ll just knock your dreams into the land of “someday.” So, create messy first drafts. Crumple up the paper and shoot it into the trash. Pivot or start over when you need to. Engage with your ideas. Shake hands with failure. Be the rookie. Open a new tab.
I’ll leave you with this: Give yourself permission to release expectations of outcomes and just press start.
Thanks for listening to Amplify. If you’re a fan of the show, show us some love by giving us a rating and review, and follow us at Mic Drop Workshop and @JessEkstrom
Coming up on Amplify, I want to expand what community looks like, so when we experience times of change, we’re truly supported—not just by ourselves, but by our partners, family, friends, workplaces, and beyond. This takes the whole morning routine conversation to another level.
This episode was edited and produced by EarFluence. I’m Jess Ekstrom, your host. Remember: You deserve the biggest stage, so let’s find out how to get you there. See you again soon!
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