For this month's blog chef and restaurateur, Chris Hill looks at the difference between success and failure in the kitchen.

Nobody is going to make you; not your boss, your spouse or your parents. You have to want it for yourself. Success that is. That’s one of the biggest problems with the world we live in today. Everyone thinks it’s should be easy, so we find ourselves going through the motions, wondering why we aren’t getting as much out of life as we would have imagined. We’re scared to face the possibility of failure, but I’ve learned some things from my time in the kitchen as a chef (more of which you can find in my article “8 Skills That Make You a Chef or Any Other Business Leader”.

What most of us don’t understand is that the reward isn’t some sort of distant place that we only arrive at upon the completion of a project, a season, or our lives. If we do it right and for the right reasons, the reward is who we become in the process of fighting through the challenges and obstacles of everyday life. Along the way there will be some high highs and some low lows, but that’s when most quit. They throw in the towel and resign to the fact that it’s just not supposed to work – it’s just too hard, I’m not cut out for this, will it ever get any better? But, if you look at any successful company, team or marriage, you’ll see that it’s through those dark valleys that discovered the people they were supposed to become. It’s the determination and perseverance that successful people embody that has a funny way of teaching those who are willing to endure – it’s a wisdom and understanding that can only be developed through the experiences of one’s life. You can’t read it in a book or watch it in a video online. The journey is what prepares us for the destination. In the end, it’s what liberates us, reminding us of the trail we’ve chosen to blaze and of the lives we’ve ventured to touch. Standing up for something, anything you believe in, takes tremendous faith, courage and a sense of resiliency. Your faith will be tested at many turns. Fear will make you question your courage, and the wear and tear of the road will try to talk any much needed resiliency out of you. Know it’s coming. Expect it. And fight through it.

If it’s important to you, you’ll make it happen. Otherwise, you’ll make an excuse.

Chef Chris Hill left a job in the business world to follow his heart and passion into the world of cooking and the kitchen. Chris opened his first restaurant at 28 and grew into the role of executive chef.

Having taken his experiences in the corporate world, as well as those in the kitchen, Chris has built a large social media following centred around TV appearances all over the Southeast U.S., his writing, TEDx talks, and his mission of helping industry workers to lead fulfilling successful careers.

Chris' first book comes out in the Summer of 2016 and is a dive into what makes for a successful career in the restaurant world, and includes exclusive interviews with some of the world's leading and most respected chefs.

You can follow Chris on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram, and read more of his work here.

Don't miss Chris' latest book 'Crush your career: A professional path to a sustainable life in the kitchen'. Available on Amazon

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