We asked some folks we admire to share one piece of conventional advice they disagree with.

Gillean Barkyoumb | Registered Dietitian & Owner

Set SMART goals. This has been taught to me for years, dating all the way back to school. Even in my corporate job we would set goals yearly and have to support them with measurements, timelines, etc. They needed to be REALISTIC. But realistic goals hold you back. My mentor encouraged me to set unrealistic goals, ones that make me show up differently in my business (and life!). I launched a test group for my online nutrition program (called the 21-Day Diet Reset) recently and decided to double my sign-up goal because I knew that if I had more people, it would push me to get efficient with how I ran the group or even encourage me to hire help and delegate tasks. It would force me to show up differently, and that is how I know I will grow. Read more>>

Carmen McNeil | Metalsmith, Jewelry Artist & Teacher

“A Jack of all trades is a master of none.” I’ve tried over and over to focus on one thing. Maybe it’s my ADHD or maybe it’s a personality quirk, but focusing on one thing for me is the worst. At first I thought I must be missing something. Something must be wrong. Why is it so many others are specializing with what appears to be no problem while I go cross eyed in my attempts to do the same? Then I realized I was applying a black and white approach to a situation that doesn’t require one. There is not one way to run a business. Plenty of successful people niche. Plenty of successful people don’t. Plenty of them do a combination of both. Ultimately, you have to do what aligns with you. Forge your own path. Read more>>

Patrick Kenney | Currency Trader & Investor

A term I heard growing up time and time again was “fake it until you make it”. I could not disagree more with this advice. With the popularity of social media taking off it is more important than ever to build a personal brand. Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, Youtube and others are used to connect to the audience in a closer way. Being genuine should be a priority in every personal brand. If a person fakes it, they likely flaunt things they don’t really own and make this or life and brand all about this persona they are trying to create. I like following the “acting as if” mindset. This means you should act as if you have a successful business before it’s made. This means your mindset, attitude, posture, and composure in business are far ahead of your current results. This way you are still genuine to you, not faking anything, but carrying yourself in a way that radiates success. Read more>>