Life can get a little tough and sometimes we all need a little extra motivation to help us push through — something that chef Daniela Soto-Innes knows very well. On Friday, September 27, the young female culinary powerhouse took to her social media to share with her followers some wise words that she hopes will keep her fellow burgeoning chefs motivated as they crave their paths through the winding path that is the food industry.

She wanted to remind them that it is important to not lose yourself and to stay true to your goals, but to always be mindful of where your goals could possibly take you. In a photo carousel, she shared the following three things that she asks herself as she reaches an important crossroads: “Who am I? Does what I’m doing align with my core values? What do I need to be happy,” along with a few others.

©@danielasotoinnes

The Mexican born chef, who is the owner of the New York restaurants Cosme and Atla, shared with her fans that she’s not only realized who she is, but she’s realized who she isn’t. “I am not my failure. I am not my success. To be a leader means to be able to greet both failure and success, knowing that they do not define you,” shared the Houston-raised chef.

She continued: “And though it can be an important lesson, you’ll find that as time goes on and you have more successes and failures (hopefully more successes than failures), the importance of each will recede.”

Daniela finished her touching social media post by saying that as a chef, you have the pressure of leading a team (your fellow kitchen staff) as well as the pressure of business partners to always make the right decision, but you need to ask yourself if what is being asked of you truly aligns with who you are as a person.