Getting it wrong can be instinctual

Today I want to dive into an unexpected insight: sometimes, getting it wrong can actually be instinctual. That sounds counterintuitive, doesn’t it? If you’re following your instincts, shouldn’t things fall perfectly into place?

Most of the time, that’s true. But sometimes, just like nature, our instincts lead us to act when the conditions feel right—even if the timing seems off to others.

This insight was sparked by something simple yet profound: a tree in my backyard. I live on the North Carolina coast, where fall often brings tropical storms carrying salt-laden rain from the ocean. This salt causes trees to shed their leaves early, tricking them into thinking fall has arrived before the temperatures align with the season.

One tree outside my office window shed its leaves after such a storm, but a few weeks later, new pale green leaves began to sprout—an act typically reserved for spring. Instinctively responding to favorable conditions, the tree acted as if it was time to bloom, even though the calendar said otherwise. And you know what? Those tender leaves thrived, despite the "wrong" timing.

As entrepreneurs, we often experience similar moments. We feel an instinctual nudge to create: to launch a course, offer a new product, or share our story with the world. But when we do, the world might not respond as we expect.

This is where we get in our own way. Unlike the tree, we let judgment creep in. We worry: Did I misjudge? Did I fail? Should I have waited? Yet, if we align with nature’s wisdom, we see that those moments of "getting it wrong" are simply part of our creative cycle.

The conditions around us may be urging us to create—not necessarily to receive immediate validation, but to start the process.

The act of creating aligns us with our purpose, prepares us for what’s to come, and builds momentum for when the world is ready.

The tree didn’t question whether it was right or wrong to bloom in fall; it simply responded to the conditions. Similarly, as entrepreneurs, we need to trust that our instincts are guiding us to create for a reason, even if the outcome doesn’t immediately meet our expectations.

Maybe your product isn’t selling out yet, or your course isn’t drawing the audience you envisioned. That’s okay. The act of creating now is setting the stage for future success. What you bring into the world today may become the foundation for your growth and impact tomorrow.

Expectation is often tied to ego. Let go of how your creation should be received. Focus instead on the process of creating, knowing that the timing is perfect for you, even if it doesn’t seem perfect for the world.

By releasing judgment and trusting your instincts, you’ll find that what you create today will resonate in ways you can’t yet imagine.

Be patient. Pay attention. And trust that when the time is right, your work will find its place in the world.

Thank you for being here today. I invite you to reflect on where your instincts are calling you to create and let go of the outcome. Just start.

Kathryn

Purple Door Entrepreneur

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