Why Jamie Kern Lima Puts Self-Worth Over Everything Else

Jamie Kern Lima is an entrepreneur and a cofounder of IT Cosmetics, which she started in her living room and eventually sold to L'Oréal for $1.2 billion. But before all that, she was a waitress at Denny’s. Lima is proof that anything is possible with grit, determination, belief, and self-worth, and she’s sharing the lessons she’s learned along the way in her new book, “Worthy.” Here, Lima discusses her go-to advice on anything your workday can throw at you.

Advice for what to do when you…

Feel stuck...

Become obsessed with building self-worth. We’re so often stuck because, deep down inside, we don’t actually believe we’re worthy of going for the thing or of “it” happening to us.

Want a confidence boost…

We often think we need more confidence, but what we often actually need is more self-worth. Our self-worth, or the deep knowing that we are worthy of love and belonging exactly as we are, is the one thing that changes everything. And we cannot chase success to increase our level of self-worth. In life, relationships, and our careers, we don’t become what we want, we become what we believe we’re worthy of. When you raise your self-worth, it changes everything.

Need to prep for an important meeting…

Make your intention about something greater than yourself, and fear goes away. 

Are nearing burnout…

Ask yourself if it’s a choice you’re making and if you want to make a different one. 

Need to focus...

Close every window on your screen except one, and turn all alerts off. Or think of your 90-year-old self and ask her what she would care about at this moment. 

Answers are edited and condensed for clarity.