Hey there,

Have you ever wanted something so much, only to get it and find out it wasn't quite the win you expected?

Abbie just learned that lesson.

With her big sister away for much of the summer, Abbie convinced us she was ready for a kitten of her own. When a friend rescued a very sick stray, she got her chance.

Along with the responsibility came an important decision: choosing his name.

At first, complete freedom sounded wonderful. Then reality set in.

There were too many good options.

She crowdsourced opinions from family and friends. She even asked me to post a poll on Instagram.

"Milo" won.

"Remi" came in a close second.

"Neko" received exactly one vote.

That's when she realized something she hadn't known before.

She really wanted to name him Neko.

Until everyone else voted differently, she hadn't realized it was her favorite.

I think business works that way sometimes.

We spend a lot of time looking for the "right" answer — asking mentors, polling peers, reading articles, and gathering opinions.

None of that is bad.

But sometimes the greatest value isn't the advice itself. It's discovering how you feel when someone suggests a different path.

Today, I encourage you to think about a decision you're wrestling with.

Whose opinions have you been collecting?

More importantly, what has collecting those opinions taught you about what you actually want?

I'm here to listen if you want to share.

— Tonya