Harvest America CUES BLOG

Well, 2023 is done – close the books. A new year is upon us and it’s not too early to decide how you’re going to approach it. Will you focus on getting by, sticking to your routines, trying not to rock the boat, and being predictable – OR is it time to shoot for the moon? Regardless of how 2023 turned out for you as a cook, chef, culinary educator, or restaurateur, today is a new day. Maybe, just maybe this is the moment when you can take the leap into greatness. It is the attitude of greatness that determines the inevitability of that outcome. DO YOU WANT IT?

As a cook – do you want to move closer to that chef position that seems to always be a bit out of your reach? Well, if you want it, then draw a personal roadmap to get there and START TODAY! Are you a chef looking to finally make your mark in the culinary community? Well, start today with a strategy to get there. Have you always dreamt of becoming a restaurateur but seem to find so many reasons why that won’t happen? CHANGE that attitude today and investigate what it will take knowing that THIS IS THE YEAR you will make it happen. Do you want your restaurant to stand out as a beacon of excellence? You can make it happen if you really want that outcome to be real. Eliminate the self-imposed roadblocks and be your own advocate for change in attitude. This is where it starts.

If you want to reach that chef position – you can. Attitude will turn that “I can” into “I will” and eventually – “I did”. If you want to own a restaurant, then do the same. Eliminate “I can’t” from your vocabulary. I can’t, really means I won’t. It is the attitude of success or failure that defines the outcome. There is an answer to every potential problem: lack of skill, lack of contacts, lack of education, lack of money, lack of knowledge, lack of partners, etc. You can overcome each one of these roadblocks if you truly want to and are willing to do what it takes. Let’s PULL OUT ALL THE STOPS!

Am I oversimplifying the process? NO! Pick a successful person in any field, a person who had dreams and then made them come true – they started the process with an attitude of “Of COURSE IT CAN DO THIS”, and then they dove into the process.

Don’t waste another minute with excuses – if you want it then “go for it”. Yes, the beginning is that simple. Now, it is just as important to know what it will take, build a plan, and then stay the course. A perfect analogy is the classic New Year’s Resolution of “I’m going to lose 15 pounds”. Okay, the attitude is positive in the beginning – “I’m going to do this”. So, you map out a plan of diet and exercise, of tracking progress and building everything into a routine. A few weeks go by, and the progress is there but not as dramatic as you hoped so you start to drift from the plan – skipping some days of exercise, straying from your diet, and ignoring the scale. By the end of the first month, you have stepped away entirely from your plan and all good intentions are now history. The goal was reasonable and very doable, the initial attitude was there, the plan was defined, but you failed to stay the course. It’s no difference with your professional goals in 2024. Start with the right attitude, know that you can do it, build a plan of attack, measure along the way, be a little patient, and STAY THE COURSE. There will be trips and stumbles along the way – the process is never easy, but avoid, at all costs, saying the words: “I can’t do this”. YES, YOU CAN – anyone can if you are willing to do what it takes. Make 2024 your year!

There are plenty of encouragements you can subscribe to – hundreds of self-help, “how to” books out there, a plethora of great movies that can inspire, and limitless examples of people who have started with nothing but subscribed to the right attitude and achieved things beyond anyone else’s expectations – pick the one that works for you and consume it often.

Every year I enjoy watching the movie “Rudy” – a story of a young boy, a lifelong fan of Notre Dame football who had a dream of attending the school and being a member of the team. He was short, not as naturally talented as many, not the greatest student, and from a family that could ill-afford to send him to Notre Dame. He practiced, played high school ball, and applied to Notre Dame numerous times – always failing to win acceptance. He attended community college to work on his grades to meet Notre Dame expectations, worked for the field maintenance crew, and kept applying until eventually, he became a member of the Notre Dame class where he earned a spot on the football practice squad. He worked harder than anyone else, took the hits, and bounced back time after time – watching the team on the field during games – until, through perseverance he found himself on the field for the last minutes of the final game in his senior year. Rudy had the attitude of “I can, and I will”, and eventually, since he stuck to his plan, “he did”. This is my “go to” inspiration – what will yours be?

Every successful chef and restaurateur that I know has the complete package in their bag of tricks: attitude, a plan, willingness and perseverance, patience, and a stay the course approach no matter the bumps along the way.

Will this be your year? The ball is in your court – start today. Look in a mirror and repeat the following: “I can, and I will. Nothing will stop me from this point on.”

2024 will be your year. MAKE IT SO!

PLAN BETTER – TRAIN HARDER

STAY THE COURSE

Harvest America Ventures, LLC

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