“The unskilled are unaware of how unskilled they are, and those that are skilled don’t believe their expertise is enough.” — Adam Grant

I want to share a personal story. My daughter learned hip-hop dance in 3rd grade. She joined the hip-hop squad and absolutely loved it. Where she got that rhythm, I have no idea, because it didn’t come from me or my husband—sorry, dude. By the end of the third week, she confidently proclaimed that she was the best dancer EVER and wanted to be on America’s Got Talent. Now, I love my kids and have always admired their openness to trying new things, but I had to speak up and let her know there was more work ahead.

Fortunately, my kids have since begun to realize that life, skills, school, cooking, friendships, and work are hard. They understand that it takes more than three weeks to master anything, and they’re okay with not being perfect. They now ask for help when they need it and admire the hard work their mentors and heroes have put in.

I liken this “I know what I’m doing” mindset to many entrepreneurs bringing products to market or launching companies for the first time. On the outside, it looks easy. We don’t see the failures, struggles, mistakes, and mishaps. We only see the polished products, the smiles, and the success stories. Only later do we gain insight into the difficult journey behind it all.

We’ve all seen that iceberg graphic—the one with a small tip above the water and the massive bulk hidden below. I have a love-hate relationship with that graphic, but it’s accurate. We all want to appear like we have it all together and that success comes easily. We hide our fears of not knowing enough. I can tell you I’m not hiding it—I am really good, excellent even at certain things, and pathetically bad at others. If my husband didn’t help me with my Mac, it wouldn’t work, and I’d be handwriting this blog on paper, taking a picture, and posting it. Technology and I have never gotten along, but I’ve learned to work with it. I don’t like it, and it takes me too long to navigate its challenges, but I’ve gotten to the point where I can be good—just not excellent at it.

Over the years, I’ve had a few clients who fit into this story. They thought they knew it all and moved forward without honing their skills, setting a solid foundation, or listening to their advisors. Their stories are theirs to tell, but I wish I had spoken up with a stronger voice. I wish I had found the confidence to say, "Hey, you’re not the best yet, but you will be." I didn’t want to overstep.

Looking back at Adam Grant’s quote, I realize I fall into that category. Despite my “10,000+ hours” and decades of experience, I sometimes still don’t think it’s enough. But I do know that I’m pretty damn good.

Where do you fall on this spectrum?

How have you held back with clients?

Has it helped or hurt them?

#rockettoretail #startup #entreprenuer #10000hours #smallbusiness #1997