Feeling a lot of discomfort with starting or growing your business? Me too. This episode is something we all need to hear and be reminded of. I am guilty of this myself - thinking that once I decide to start my business or a project that it will just be easy without any discomfort - success entitlement. 

The key is to first accept, feel the feelings and then practice being uncomfortable in smaller ways. Are you willing to experience discomfort? It is the currency of your dreams and you won't achieve success without it, so we might as well lean in to it.

Sari 0:04
I'm Sari Kimbell and I've done just about everything in the food industry. I have helped hundreds of packaged food business entrepreneurs. And now I want to help you make your delicious dream a reality. Whether you want to be successful at farmer's markets, online, or wholesale on the store shelves, Food Business Success is your secret ingredient. I will show you how to avoid an expensive hobby, and instead run a profitable food business. Now let's jump.

Hey, guys, welcome back to the podcast. Great to be back for another week. I just want to say thank you so much. I've gotten so much great feedback from this podcast and just thrilled with with the outcome. Been talking with a lot of you guys on discovery calls after you've applied for Food Business Success. I do want to ask you to go over and rate and review and subscribe to this podcast. It really helps me grow the audience and especially on Apple, go on your phone is the easiest way. And you know, give me a five star review, write a sentence or two, and submit that it really helps grow the audience for this podcast.

All right. So this is going to be a little real talk today. And I'll just tell you up front warn you that there might be a little salty language. You guys want me to be real with you. And I, I know that a lot of you really appreciate when we just have like bad hard talk. And so just be forewarned, there might be a few salty words thrown into this conversation. But here's the deal, it has been a week. I don't know about you guys, but I actually had a different topic I was gonna record that was very positive and uplifting. But that's not what we're doing this week, because that did not feel real to me. So I think I will just tell you, I am in it, I am in it. And you guys are telling me that you are in it too. I have had some great conversations with my clients and some other folks really just in their business and doing some uncomfortable things. So I want to talk about this concept of getting comfortable with being uncomfortable. Getting comfortable with discomfort. Who starting a business growing a business, man, it is hard! It is so uncomfortable. I know you guys are feeling this too. And I really do think that so many of you are wanting to evolve, you're wanting to see like, this passion and this idea for a business. And you know, I think that it's one of the the benefits, the upsides of this pandemic is that it's really forced people to think about what they really want. What is been like that thing that in the back of their mind that they've always wanted to do? And and some of you may have found yourself with extra time on your hands. Or at least just you know, really pondering some of those like bigger life questions. So a lot of you are saying yeah, I want to do this, I want to take the leap and start that business or grow that business. And then you think that it should be easy and fun and rainbows and daisies and it's not. I mean, there is a certain amount of entitlement I think that that we feel like but I made the decision I want to do this and then you think it should be easy and it's not. So I want to talk to you about today really selling you on this idea of being uncomfortable, of embracing discomfort and actually growing your muscle and getting better at it. So I'm going to have some some tips, some ideas for you to maybe do that in a smaller way. But man if you if you think being an entrepreneur is gonna just be like riding a wave. It is not. It is absolutely not. So you know I'm some of you guys may know this. I am taking over a networking group here in Colorado. I'm going to be the well, when this comes out, I will be the president of I guess officially

today that I'm recording that I am the president of Colorado Food Works. Which is a, an organization for, for food producers, for people in the food industry, the CPG world and a place to create community and support. And, you know, the beauty I guess, of being virtual is that you really wherever you are, you could you can definitely sign up for email updates or become a member and be able to partake in as we were, we're sort of reinventing ourselves. And so anyway, just food for thought to consider getting some community in your life. But in any case, that is highly uncomfortable for me. It is brand new, and a lot of you know a lot of a lot of people want a lot of things from this organization. And, and I want to create an amazing organization and, and so there is a certain amount of expectation and pressure that is probably somewhat self-imposed, and then also coming from our community and our members. So that is highly uncomfortable for me. And, and then I've also just had some really not so fun, personal things going on, and even the exciting things have a certain amount of discomfort to them. So I I am in it. And then I'm talking with you guys. And you know, I was talking with a board member of Colorado Food Works yesterday, and he was we were gonna talk about other things, but he was in it too, you know, he was dealing with some really big shit, like some legal and, you know, contract stuff that was like, you know, you don't necessarily like sign up thinking you're gonna have to deal with with this kind of stuff, right? You know, hashtag adulting but, uh, you know, I don't always think of myself as like, what I have to deal with legal and finance and CPAs and all of these things like jumping in the deep end of the pool. So yeah, we had like, a great conversation. He was definitely, like, had some got to have like the rant and the unload. But then we talked a lot about that discomfort and in his growth, and he's, like doing amazing and his business, I'm gonna have him on the podcast soon. But man, like at each stage of growth, there is this discomfort. And if we want to evolve and become the next version of ourselves, grow our business to the next version, start a business, discomfort is absolutely required. My coach says that discomfort is the currency of your dreams. And yeah, I'm feeling that discomfort. So wondering if you are too. I'm guessing there is some if you are actually doing going after that dream.

So the key I think to discomfort and allowing discomfort is, when you make that decision, you say yes, I'm going to do this, I'm going to commit, I have a hard why. Go back and listen to a couple episodes ago about why it's so important to have a hard why. But you have that hard why and then you're here gonna, you're gonna find every reason why you should not do this, right? Your subconscious is going to find ways to avoid the discomfort. It's going to distract you. You're going to procrastinate, right? You want to avoid this. And the key is to recognize, Oh, this is discomfort. Mm hmm. Yep. Right on right on track. That is, I am supposed to be feeling this right now. And so catching yourself before you just like, you know, go a little numb and like, go try to distract yourself with it's amazing actually, the way that things always come up the second, you know, I'll be on a call and they'll say, the person will say yes, I want to do this. I'm joining I'm signing up today. You'll see my payment by the end of the day and I can't wait to get started. And then nothing happens. And that's okay. There's no it's you know, that I always believe like people will come when they're ready, but I see it all the time and I go, Oh, that's discomfort. And, and inevitably, sometimes I hear back and they

say Oh, something came up, you know, there's this big, something financial. It's like, it's always amazing how something just comes up. Or, you know, they just distract themselves with busy work or something, you know, there is some other emergency. And I think it's about not wanting to be uncomfortable. It is just the way we are wired, like, our brains are wired to seek comfort and pleasure, and then you're telling it, you want to do something really uncomfortable. So anyway, I see that and that is just know that's going to come up. And so the trick is to catch it to be the observer of that thought and say, Oh, I'm in discomfort right now. Yeah, that's what this feels like. So now what? You realize you are in discomfort. The first thing is to just allow it, to accept it, to let it be there. Recognize that it is all part of the process that you are right on time. You're right on track. Discomfort is supposed to be here. I love to play this game all the way to the end. What's the worst that could happen? Right? I mean, I know you guys do it, too. I certainly do it. I get so caught up in my brain about, you know, these little bursts of like, Oh my gosh, it's gonna be terrible. It's going to end in, you know, this horrible tragedy and, and we work ourselves up. And I really like sitting down, like, let's play the game all the way to the end. What's the worst that could happen? For me, somehow, my worst that could happen always ends up with me in a van down by the river. I don't know why I clearly I grew up in the 90s. Listening, watching SNL. But I actually have gotten to the point where it's, I can laugh at it now and think, where, where do I get this van from? I mean, if I lose everything, and I'm literally homeless, and I have no money, somehow I'm able to find a van and a river to park by. Like, where is this river that I'm finding? So in any case, what is your like, play it all the way to the end, but be realistic. I mean, I'm being funny with my van down by the river, but I do play it down realistically. And you know, what I realize is like, Okay, what if I spend this money on this program, or I do this investment, or I make this decision, and I play it all the way to the end? I always configure it out. There's always a way. And really, at the end of the day, I think what we're most afraid of is the feelings that we're going to have. If we are rejected, if we fail, if we lose some money, right? Like the what do we make that mean about us is actually the worst thing that we think could possibly happen. That we won't have our own back if we fail. So that's actually another one of my keys for me is when I think through these things, like I am in discomfort right now, but I think through what's the worst that could happen and one thing I tell myself now that I never used to before is, I have my own back. No matter what happens, no matter what happens with this decision, with what's going on in my life right now with my business, I will have my own back. I will not beat myself up. And it will be the best decision I've ever made.

And that honestly, has saved me. Because if I believe myself that I will not beat myself up beat the crap out of myself for a decision, that I will hold myself in grace- just like I would a best friend, right? Like if a best friend like think of yourself, if you try to put yourself in the role of your best friend like, okay, so you're going to invest some money in your business. You're going to maybe you're going to hire work with me one on one or through Food Business Success. So you're going to put a little money into it. You're going to put a little time into this. You're going to put yourself out there, you're going to take some risks. How would you treat yourself if you were your own best friend? And if it failed, would you you know, yell at yourself and beat yourself up and make it the worst thing that's ever happened? Or would you comfort yourself and go to work and figure out what the next step is? So that's a something that's really helped me in this journey of being uncomfortable, and getting comfortable with discomfort.

So here's my next tip: schedule discomfort, practice discomfort, get used to doing more uncomfortable things. Sounds crazy, I know. But schedule it like a dentist appointment on your calendar and honor it. Do it, show up for yourself, no matter what, no matter how uncomfortable it is. Nobody wants to go to the dentist. I don't want to go to the dentist. But we do it, we put it on our calendar. And we don't cancel the day of right? So. But how many of you guys cancel on yourself the day of the hour before the five minutes before something is uncomfortable, doing something you don't want to do. I mean, think about how much we procrastinate on the smallest things that we don't like to do? For my clients it's usually accounting and financial stuff that they always procrastinate on. I tell them to put, schedule it a time on your calendar every week that you're going to sit down and work on your cash flow, and you're going to update it. And it's so much easier when you actually stay on top of it, right, from week to week? Or you're going to schedule time to you know, every week to sit down and work on your forecast or to work on something that's challenging, something that does not come easy for you, that is outside of your comfort zone. And inevitably, magically, somehow there is always something that comes up. And we all do this right? But then when you finally sit down and you do that thing, and it takes you like 30 minutes, and you're like, why did? Why was I was I so, you know, why did I fight so hard and push so hard and procrastinate so much and it feels so good to get this thing done. So that's why I love to say schedule discomfort, practice discomfort, put it on your calendar. I mean, last night, when I looked at my calendar, and I saw record a podcast was on there, you better believe I was trying to talk myself out of it. I was like, no, no, I have so many other things to do. I have all this client work, I got my personal life thing, like things are crazy right now I cannot record a podcast. What was I thinking? And then I thought, you know what, now I put it on my calendar, I am going to honor that. I got up extra early today to get up before the sun and talk about discomfort. And so by doing this, by stretching myself repeatedly practicing discomfort, I get a lot better at it. And my brain starts to realize like, Oh, yeah, it's not that bad actually, like this is gonna take me you

know, 35 minutes to record this. I can do 35 minutes, I can do hard things. I can follow through on my calendar, and you do it over and over again. And I promise you, it starts to get easier. So I'm going to challenge you right here to put on your calendar every Monday from two to 3pm you're going to work on your financials or your cash flow. And then every week you sit down no matter what and you get that shit done. You honor your calendar, like, let's do it and you're gonna feel so proud of yourself when you do. And that's the amazing part. What is it that you are not doing because it's uncomfortable? I mean, think about what is the amount of discomfort you are willing to feel to achieve your dreams? There are no overnight successes. Your success will absolutely be built on discomfort, on failure, on rejection, on just going through being uncomfortable. So if I told you that there was a certain amount of uncomfortability, of discomfort that you are going to have to feel to achieve your dreams, are you willing? Are you willing to do that? Are you willing to say yes, I'm all in? I mean, I think going in knowing that you're gonna be uncomfortable is part of the key to success. So that when you're in it, you go Oh, yeah, Uh huh. She told me that Food Business Success girl told me this is gonna be uncomfortable. Here it is. Feeling discomfort. I'm gonna do it anyway. So what are you not doing because it's uncomfortable?

I will tell you that one of the first things that I will hold people to or that I asked them to do is to sign up for Food Business Success to get a business coach, to get one on one time, to get accountability with me. And it should feel uncomfortable. It should be hard to put that money down. If it's not, if you're like, Oh, yeah, that's no problem, then I can always raise my price for you to make it more uncomfortable. But that first step, every step, you're going to feel some discomfort. If not, it's not worth doing. If it's not uncomfortable, I don't think you're actually in the reality of understanding what it's gonna take of like really being in it. You're probably still in fantasy land, where you're just envisioning yourself, envisioning yourself making your product, and everybody loves it. And you're bopping around a farmer's market and you're having so much fun and sales are coming in, or you put your product on Instagram and everybody's buying it and you like spin out in this amazing fantasy and influencers pick up your product. And next thing, you know, a Whole Foods reaches out to you, and they want your product and, you know, you're just like spinning a tale but I don't know that you're actually really in the reality of what it's really going to take you. So yes, I want it to feel uncomfortable. When you start, I want you to experience that first pain of a little bit of nausea, and then commitment and courage kick in and we get to work. So what else are you not doing that because it's uncomfortable? Are you not going and talking to that kitchen? Are you not making that contact with a buyer? Are you not sitting down and doing your your profitability, your forecast, your business plan, your cash flow, the things that are required of a business owner? Are you not getting in and figuring out your recipe? I mean, I find that some people, most people are very passionate about their product and can that's easy and fun but it's the actual business side of things that is the most challenging,

But that's not always the case. Are you? Are you uncomfortable with learning Amazon? Or? I mean, I have a lot of people who struggle with technology. Are you scared to do that Facebook Live or that Instagram Live? And really put yourself out there? You know, I do these Instagram lives with food producers. And a lot of them are very nervous about doing it. It's the first time that they come on and do a live. And, you know, they're like how do I hold my phone? And what do I say? And they're just very, very uncomfortable. And if technology isn't your thing, I got you I it's not a problem. We'll figure it out. I'm great explaining these things. But doing those little things like an IG live even if you screw it up, believe me we've had some some big technology issues, vocal issues, but at the end of the day, like who cares? It's just an Instagram Live, like so what if a few people see it, those are the things that help you get comfortable with discomfort. So definitely go and check out the YouTube channel or go back to the Food Business Success IGTV channel and watch those interviews and realize that those producers are doing hard things that are uncomfortable and you can too.

But here's what I want to suggest to you is that you actually increase the amount of small discomforts and you work this like a muscle. Think about, I mean of course the cliche is like going to the gym. It is uncomfortable to lift weights right to build muscle, to build cardiovascular strength. It does not feel good and yet we go or maybe sometimes we distract ourselves and not go but when you go and when you are committed to you know losing weight or getting stronger or running that 5K or the marathon or whatever it is like you are willing to go through the discomfort. You know, it will be discomfort, you know, uncomfortable. I also, my best friend is is in labor. And she sent me a video yesterday after her water broke and you know, she was clearly in discomfort. But that was a choice right? She went into getting pregnant and going on this pregnancy journey and becoming a parent knowing that it would, there would be discomfort, and I really saw that she was relaxing into the discomfort and accepting that as part of the deal. So, again, you know, going back to the the gym metaphor that the only way we get stronger is by stretching and growing those muscles. And so it is very uncomfortable to do that. So the same thing can be said, for you in your life and, and going after your dream. So the idea being that, how can you introduce some small discomforts on purpose that you are choosing to play with and to experiment with so that you can grow that muscle of confidence, right? When we do uncomfortable things on the other side, we're so proud of ourselves. I, it builds confidence that you can then take to other things, when you realize like, Oh, yeah, I did that. Right. Going back to my podcast about you can do hard things. Yeah, I did that I was really uncomfortable. But I made that sales call. And you know what, I didn't die. I'm okay.

So, some ideas that I've heard that you can do are like, go to your coffee shop, and order a coffee. And then without a reason, just say, can I have 10% off? And just ask, be confident, you know, like, it's uncomfortable, that is discomfort, and you just kind of look at them? And I'd like 10% off, please. And most likely, they're going to say no, and that's okay. And you're like, Okay, sure. And then you try again, you know, and try again. So that's a one small way that you can create some discomfort in practice that. I heard another term called social skydiving, right? So I know, right now, we're not doing a ton of socializing but

basically, you know, if you're at a networking event or something, just walking up to a conversation, and just saying, Hi, right, just breaking in, you know, nicely, politely. But just joining that conversation, like, and maybe the modern, social distancing version of that is go over to the Food Business Success Facebook page and post something, or go on to somebody else's post and join the conversation, right? Like, that can feel really uncomfortable for many of you to even put yourself out there, like, you know, digitally and virtually. So do that on purpose. Go over to that Facebook group and talk about what is making you uncomfortable right now, what are the small discomforts that you are willing to feel and get more comfortable with? I challenge you to go do that, right after you listen to this podcast. Go join the face, the Facebook group and start a conversation. That is doing something uncomfortable right there. Another like small one, I know you guys think this is a big deal, and that everybody's watching. But do and do an Instagram Live, do a Facebook Live. Even if it's just three minutes, right? And you're just going to talk about something about your product or something exciting. Do it! Do a small thing that you're like, oh, that actually wasn't so bad. I didn't die. It's fine, right?

I remember when I started Food Business Success, and my coach told me that I was going to get on Facebook live every single day for the next 11 days and do each day I was going to do one of my top 10 mistakes and then do a wrap up q&a. And I swear to God, the blood drained from my face and I went white as a ghost and I thought I was going to vomit. It's like, Ah, no. And he was like yes, that's what you're doing. And I did it and I was so freaking proud of myself at the end of it. So I want you to make yourself proud with these small discomforts that you personally you know, you purposely go out and choose right now to help grow your muscle. Because my friend you have a lot of discomfort ahead of you. Am I selling you on this yet? Are you thinking to yourself, no way maybe I shouldn't do this after all. But if you want to if you still want to, you're still with me and you still want to be that entrepreneur, start feeling comfortable with being uncomfortable. Start the practice start the process.

Alright, I want to wrap this up. But I have one last thought that has really helped me this week as I've gone through some of my own discomfort. And I think it'll help you as well. Would I really want to be a person that doesn't experience heartbreak? Would I really want to be a person who doesn't experience fear? Do I really want to be a person that doesn't ever experience failure? I mean, that's what we're going for right? We think like, No, I don't want to feel any of those hard things. I don't want to feel disappointed or rejected or failure, or heartbreak. I don't want to feel those things. And yet, when we think about it, if we kind of step back and say would I really want to be a person who never has that experience? The answer is probably no, because those are the moments of growth. Those are the moments of change, and where we evolve, and we become the next version of ourself. If we can just say, Yeah, there will be discomfort, there will be failure. And then recognize when you're in it, have your own back, schedule it on your calendar, show up and do it anyway. Practice it, get better at it. But you can absolutely do this. And I would love to help you work through the discomfort, be uncomfortable with the discomfort, hold you accountable for being uncomfortable, and doing it anyway.

So that's what I got. Today, I'm working through a week of being uncomfortable, of experiencing discomfort. And I know many of you are in your businesses, it's part of the deal. If you want help head over to Food Business Success, you can apply right there on the homepage, and then we'll set up a call. I'd love to hear about your business, what you want to start, what you want to grow. We can definitely do this. I know so many of you are really just feeling this, this pull. Your Why is strong, and you want to do this. And then you distract yourself right? You get scared and that discomfort comes up. Honestly, the best thing you can do is hire a coach like myself, an expert in the food industry, but also one that will help you manage this discomfort and manage your priority list and get questions answered for you so you can keep moving through the discomfort and towards your dream. I know when I hired my coach, whew, you guys, that was a lot of money for me. That was uncomfortable. And yet I knew when I put down that money, I was serious. I was committed. And I was going to show up and am showing up doing my homework, being accountable, doing what he tells me to do. Working through the emotion and all the discomfort and it is worth every penny. So what are you willing to do that is uncomfortable to get to your dream? Thanks so much for listening. I hope this has helped you to feel a little bit more comfortable with getting uncomfortable. Until the next one have a fantastic week.

Are you ready to start that delicious idea that you make in your home kitchen or grow your existing packaged food business and take it to the next level? The most successful food business entrepreneurs have support, guidance, focus and accountability to help them make it happen quickly without wasting time or money. Plus, I think starting your packaged food business should actually be fun. Food Business Success is your secret ingredient to creating your food business dream. Please don't go this alone. Check out the private free Food Business Success Facebook group to connect with other foodprenuers, get your questions answered quickly, share your wins and receive special training and tools I only share inside the private community. Just search for Food Business Success on Facebook, or get the link in the show notes. Curious about how Food Business Success can help you? Head over to FoodBizSuccess.com and fill out the application to see if you're a great fit for the program. Together let's make your food business dream a reality.