Refining your focus, going for your goals and doing it all with courage and conviction.
Johannesburg, 14 March 2022: When 2022 rolled in, seasoned entrepreneur and home cook extraordinaire, Chantal Lascaris, made her mind up to try something new. No stranger to tackling tasks in pursuit of success, her goal was to film and edit her own recipe videos – a daunting challenge that promised to take her social media to the next level.
Fast forward to March – and Chantal is yet to try making recipe videos. Until now, the self-confessed perfectionist has consistently put it off: “The first two months of the year are always busy. We spend half of January trying to accept that it’s January and then February is all about catching up. I tend to worry about being unable to complete a task perfectly, so I put it off for as long as possible,” says Chantal.
It may be surprising to learn that the successful businesswoman, with her hands in several entrepreneurial ventures, isn’t immune to the procrastination we all struggle with. Often, the fear of being bad at something can be so overwhelming, we end up feeling unable to try at all. “It’s important to just try,” says Chantal. “By trying, you learn, and eventually, start to prove to yourself that you can do it.”
It may feel like it’s too late to get going with your goals, but Chantal believes the right time is right now! So, to help you turn 2022 into the year of twenty-twenty-DO, Chantal has compiled her top five tips to find your focus and get over the fear that keeps you from trying:
- Bite-Size Chunks. Sometimes, we set goals that are so daunting, the size and scope can add to our tendency to procrastinate. By breaking it into bite-size chunks and being realistic about what you can do, you’re more likely to set yourself up for success. Approaching it this way also helps you build confidence, which makes it easier to dedicate time to it.
- ‘Good Enough’ is Enough… to get going. The truth is you don’t always have to be the best. By always striving to do more, without recognising when you’ve done enough, you put yourself on a never-ending journey to discontent. By letting ‘good enough’ be enough, you aren’t slacking. Rather you’re approaching it with the wisdom to know you don’t have to stress about every little thing, and there will be times – many of them – when what you’ve done is enough.
- Standards Stay Up. There’s a difference between having standards and expectations. Your standards are how you measure the value of your efforts. Your expectations are the belief that what you want is going to happen. Your standards should always stay up, whereas your expectations should be realistic. “It’s important to understand good things take time. So, while you may hope your new venture will be an overnight success, it’s a timely process, and you’re going to have to put work in every step of the way,” says Chantal.
- Critique Criticism. No matter the industry you’re in, or the goal you’ve set, criticism will arise along the way. The key to handling criticism is understanding the intention. There will be times when criticism is toxic. And there will be times when it’s constructive and holds value to help us see things we may not have seen otherwise. “We also need to be mindful of self-criticism,” says Chantal. “When we’re kids, we are always trying things for the first time, and if we’re lucky, our efforts are encouraged. It’s important to show ourselves the same kindness and encouragement we’d show others.”
- Ask An Expert. If you know someone who is good at what you’re trying to do, don’t be afraid to ask them for tips or even a couple of lessons. By finding someone you can learn from, you eradicate the perfectionist tendency to always focus on the outcome, rather turning the journey of learning into something fun. Chantal says: “I’ve been doing a lot of research when it comes to filming recipe videos, but best you believe, if I ever decide to try TikTok, I’m recruiting a teenager to teach me!”
About Chantal Lascaris
Chantal Lascaris is a home cook extraordinaire whose love of food is fuelled by her passion for health and nutrition. A qualified Pilates instructor, and successful entrepreneur – several times over – Chantal has authored several highly successful recipe books, including the All Sorts of series – Salads, Healthy Dishes, One Dish Wonders, and Tapas. She splits her time between promoting her recipe books and running a small farm in Western Cape. The Ultimate Salad Book is her latest release, boldly moving the salad from simple side dish to centre stage main! She continues to give us the opportunity to use fresh and nutritious ingredients, in a range of salad dishes that can be enjoyed for breakfast, lunch, dinner – and even dessert!
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