The Three Promises
Start imperfectly, recover with grace, and celebrate progress
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Time to result
- ~ongoing to results
- Steps
- 3
- Confidence
- 97%
The Three Promises form a practical mindset for sustaining entrepreneurial action. First, start where you are instead of waiting for ideal skills, tools, or confidence; an imperfect attempt creates material that can be improved. Second, give yourself grace by judging your effort fairly, replacing destructive self-talk, and adopting a new plan when circumstances disrupt the old one. Third, have fun by noticing and celebrating small signs that the work is working. Together, the promises convert uncertainty into movement, setbacks into opportunities to restart, and distant goals into a sequence of motivating wins. The mechanism is not blind optimism: it is repeated action supported by self-compassion and reinforcement.
Origin
Extracted from The Jasmine Star Show, where Jasmine Star shared three promises during a Social Curator kickoff class to help business owners maintain momentum after their initial excitement fades.
Core principles
- 01Action creates something you can improve.
- 02Self-compassion supports recovery after setbacks.
- 03Small wins make sustained effort more enjoyable.
- 04Progress matters more than comparison.
- 05Perseverance means repeatedly getting back up.
How to run it
- 1
Start Where You Are
Use the skills, tools, and resources already available to produce an imperfect first attempt. Treat that attempt as something to improve rather than as a verdict on your ability.
Pro tip Choose the smallest action that creates a visible result today.
Watch out Do not mistake imperfect action for permission to ignore serious risks or obligations.
- 2
Give Yourself Grace
Assess whether you did the best you could with the circumstances and resources available. Speak to yourself with the same encouragement you would offer someone you love.
Pro tip When plans fail, replace them promptly instead of abandoning the goal.
Watch out Grace should enable renewed action, not rationalize indefinite avoidance.
- 3
Have Fun and Celebrate
Notice small wins such as trying something new, receiving a first inquiry, making a sale, or booking a desired client. Mark those moments so progress feels rewarding before the final goal arrives.
Pro tip Choose a simple celebration ritual you can repeat after each milestone.
Watch out Do not postpone all satisfaction until a distant outcome is achieved.
In the wild
Jasmine describes launching Social Curator in 2017 without a polished operation or complete certainty about what they were doing. The team continued working on the service rather than treating its rough beginning as proof that it could not succeed.
→ The initially scrappy service developed into a business supported by a larger team and community.
A business owner misses a week of social posts because life disrupts the schedule. Instead of treating the lapse as a failed month, they give themselves grace, create a simpler plan, publish one useful post, and celebrate restarting.
→ The owner restores momentum without allowing one setback to become prolonged inactivity.
Common mistakes
Waiting for a Perfect Start
Waiting for certainty or polish leaves nothing concrete to test and improve. Begin with a manageable imperfect version instead.
Turning Grace Into Avoidance
Self-compassion should help you recover and choose a new action. It becomes counterproductive when used to avoid restarting indefinitely.
Celebrating Only Final Outcomes
Ignoring small wins removes reinforcement during the long middle of the process. Recognize evidence of progress as it appears.
Is it for you?
Best for
It is best for entrepreneurs and creators who hesitate to begin or lose momentum after difficult days.
Not ideal for
It is not ideal for situations where immediate action would create serious legal, financial, or safety risks.
From the transcript
“Number one, just start where you are.”
“Number two promise to give yourself grace again and again”
“The third promise. I want you to make yourself to yourself as a curator is to have fun.”
From the episode
Guarantee Your Success This Year by Asking 3 Big Questions