Ditch the Blueprint: How Heather Criswell Uses Intuition to Build Success

"I tried following the ‘proven’ blueprint for success… and I hated every second of it. Every email I sent felt slimy. Every ‘hustle harder’ mantra made me miserable. Then I did the one thing every expert warned against—I ditched the blueprint and followed my intuition. What happened next changed everything."

Are you tired of forcing yourself to follow a strategy that just doesn’t feel right? You know—the rigid sales funnels, aggressive email sequences, and nonstop social media grinding that “guarantee” success but leave you drained?

You’re not alone. So many entrepreneurs get caught up in the shoulds—“You should be emailing daily. You should be running ads. You should be everywhere at once.” But what if doing those things doesn’t feel authentic to you? What if the very strategies that are supposed to help you grow are actually making you miserable?

Heather Criswell , founder of Wise Inside and author of How to Raise a Happy Child (and Be Happy Too), has been there. She followed the formulas. She took the courses. And she quickly realized—just like you might be feeling right now—that success isn’t about following someone else’s roadmap. It’s about trusting yourself.

Heather shares why ditching the blueprint and embracing heart-centered communication is the secret to creating a business that not only thrives but feels good to run. If you’ve ever felt out of alignment with your marketing or wondered whether the “hustle at all costs” mentality is really the only way, this is for you.

Why Following “Proven” Formulas Can Actually Sabotage Your Success

"I took a course that said I needed to send these specific emails using this exact template. Every time I hit ‘send,’ I felt horrible." – Heather Criswell

You’ve heard it before: Follow this blueprint, and you’ll be successful. But if that were true, why do so many entrepreneurs feel stuck, drained, and disconnected from their own businesses?

You might be feeling this right now. You followed the formula—the sales funnels, the email sequences, the constant social media posts. And yet, instead of attracting more clients, you feel like you're just shouting into the void. Worse, you might even feel like a fraud because none of it feels authentic to you.

Heather experienced this exact struggle. She tried the marketing playbook—bombarding people with emails, creating funnels, doing everything the experts said was necessary. But something felt off. The strategies didn’t reflect her voice, and her audience could tell.

Here’s why blindly following someone else’s success formula can actually hold you back:

• It disconnects you from your audience. If a marketing tactic doesn’t feel natural to you, chances are, your audience will sense that. People are drawn to authenticity—not forced strategies.
• It kills your motivation. If your business starts feeling like a chore, you're less likely to stay consistent. And consistency—not just tactics—is what builds long-term success.
• It ignores what makes you unique. What worked for someone else may not work for you. Your strengths, your voice, and your way of connecting with people are different. Your marketing should reflect that.

Success doesn’t come from a rigid playbook—it comes from doing what feels right. If you've ever felt gross sending out sales emails or exhausted keeping up with a content schedule that doesn’t fit your lifestyle, ask yourself: What marketing strategies actually feel good to me? Because the truth is—when you show up in a way that feels right, people notice. And that’s what builds real, lasting success.

“Hustle Culture” is a Lie—Why Overworking is the Fastest Way to Burn Out

"Rise and grind? No thanks. I believe in ‘Rise and Shine.’" – Heather Criswell

How often do you hear that success comes from sheer effort? Work 16-hour days. Sacrifice your weekends. Push through exhaustion because this is what it takes.

But what if that’s the very thing keeping you stuck?

Heather has been an entrepreneur for over 25 years. She’s seen firsthand how toxic hustle culture leads to burnout—not success. When she was running her preschool, she got one vacation in seven years. She was always “on,” always responsible, always working. And guess what? She wasn’t living the “freedom lifestyle” that entrepreneurship promises.

Sound familiar?

The real problem isn’t a lack of effort—it’s a lack of alignment.

Here’s why hustle culture is a trap:

• It forces you to prioritize work over well-being. If you're exhausted, your work suffers. Instead of pushing harder, Heather suggests stepping back to ask: What’s one thing I can do today that truly moves me forward?
• It creates the illusion of productivity. Many entrepreneurs spend hours on busywork—checking emails, tweaking websites, scrolling social media—without actually making progress. Heather warns that long hours don’t guarantee results.
• It leads to burnout, which stalls your business. Overworking might give you a short-term boost, but long-term, it kills creativity, drains motivation, and makes success feel impossible.

Heather’s mantra is simple: Start your day with what excites you.

"Do the thing you love first—not the thing you dread. That energy builds momentum, and suddenly, you get more done without forcing it."

The key takeaway? Success doesn’t come from grinding yourself into the ground. It comes from working in a way that fuels you. And when you prioritize what lights you up, you naturally attract more of the right opportunities—without the burnout.

Why Money Shouldn’t Be Your Only Measure of Success

"I didn’t chase an intern. I didn’t post a job listing. One day, an email landed in my inbox from someone asking to work with me—for free." – Heather Criswell

Let’s be real—most people measure success by money. The revenue numbers. The six-figure months. The “I made $100,000 in a weekend” posts all over social media.

But what if that’s the wrong way to think about success?

Heather believes that financial gains are just one way the universe rewards you. Some of the most valuable opportunities won’t come in the form of a paycheck—they’ll come in the form of relationships, support, and unexpected doors opening.

Redefining Success Beyond Money:

• Game-changing collaborations
• Visibility opportunities
• Unexpected support systems

If you’re only focused on immediate financial rewards, you might be missing out on bigger opportunities that fuel long-term growth.

Stop Grinding. Start Flowing. The Power of Doing What Feels Right.

"We’re not meant to grind ourselves into the ground. We’re here to shine." – Heather Criswell

The magic happens when you take the leap.

About Heather Criswell

Heather Criswell knows what it’s like to follow all the “right” business strategies—only to feel completely out of alignment. As the founder of Wise Inside, an award-winning author, speaker, and host of Wise Talk Radio, she has helped over 30,000 children and families connect through heart-centered communication. She founded a unique preschool at 21, later opened a holistic wellness center, and now teaches entrepreneurs how to trust their intuition instead of chasing rigid formulas. If you're ready to ditch the blueprint and build success your way, visit WiseInside.com to learn more.