you are enough - Issue #26
Dear you,
Many people have told me, "Blessing, I have nothing to share, teach, or post". They think they are not good enough. They think they have nothing the world needs. This surprises me because I don't agree. If you are reading this and feel that way, I think you are overestimating what people know and underestimating what you know.
Let's talk eggs
There's a video on YouTube on How to Boil an Egg. Do you know how many vies that video has? 5.2M views. When I first found this video, it had only 2M views in 2020. Now in 2022, it has 5.2M views. This same lady made a video on "How to Poach an Egg", guess how many views? 18M views, it was 9M in 2020.
Another video I found with 28M views! How to Cook the Perfect Eggs Every time - 28 million views! Salem King must have learned from them, which explains why he has stopped burning eggs on Instagram (If you know Salem, you can screenshot this part and send it to him). I also attached proof below to show that these accusations are not unfounded 🙈.
Are you saying over 10M people in the world do not know how to cook eggs? Absolutely yes! My point is this - cooking eggs should be really easy and obvious, but it is not. Some people are super amazing at their job or skill, e.g. they may be great lawyers or even inventors, but they do not know how to cook eggs.
My realization
I remember the first time I joined a virtual branding class, and the questions people asked baffled me. That was the first time I could admit to myself that, wow - I know a lot about branding. I am underestimating what I know and overestimating what people know about this subject. There is a reason they come to me for help. And I think that's similar for you too. There is something you take for granted, but you are really good at. People often come to you for help with that thing.
There is a video and blog post on how to turn on your computer, with thousands of views on the internet.
What's my point?
No matter how basic you think your knowledge is, someone actually needs it. Stop selling yourself short. What is obvious to you is not obvious to everyone. Stop thinking that “everyone knows it”. They don't! Stop looking for 1000 people who need to hear your voice and focus on teaching or impacting one person. You will see results. Soon one will become 10, then 100, and it'll keep growing because you add value to them. Stop looking for 1000 followers before you start. The 10 or 100 you have, what have you done with them? I started #unbrandedletters (Revue version), and I was the only subscriber I had, but a few letters down the line, one has become 1000+ on LinkedIn and almost 350 on Revue, and I am happy with that. I am not interested in 10,000 subscribers who do not feel something when they read the letters. I am pleased with the slow, steady growth with an amazing set of people who feel a connection - slow, continued growth with you.
Start where you are with what you have. Just do it. You are enough. You are your own secret sauce. Stop looking at everyone else and start looking at the mirror, at yourself. Compare yourself of today, the you of yesterday. If you are not pleased with the growth, put in more effort. If you are, give yourself a treat. You have control of your life. You are enough. Stop telling yourself otherwise. What skill, tool, knowledge, passion, etc. do you have that you have been downplaying? Tell me.
I know it's not Tuesday, but I needed to remind you today, as you start your week, how important you are, how much value you have, and how much I believe in you.
With Love,
Blessing Abeng.