Don’t isolate yourself with your fears. Instead, share them with those you trust that can share the burden and you can do the same for them. This is a journey, not a sprint … having partners during the journey will help you tremendously.
I find that my hands feel fully occupied when I act like an owner, yet fluid when I act like a steward, which is where I want to be. Stewardship bears the same responsibility for performing but acknowledges that the role you are in is a “pitstop” on the journey and for a broader cause.
Consider the context under which you perform.
Finding better and more efficient ways to do things is wise. That is wisdom. However, be wary of shortcuts that would lead you to believe that you can microwave your way to a great career.
I had the pleasure of hearing Erik Weihenmayer, the first blind person to reach the summit of Mount Everest, tell his story a few weeks ago. He shared some incredible footage from the climb. One-piece of footage was him and team crossing between two mountain tops on a ladder. It was probably thirty feet or so across. He joked that one of the benefits of being blind was that he could not look down, as if he did, he might have stopped. Looking down startled many of the folks making their way across those mountain tops.
Aim high, stay above the fray, make your way across your mountain tops and don’t look down … there is nothing down there for you.
It is easy to think about leadership as an assignment, a title or a post, but it’s not. It is about showing up, creating a vision, positively influencing, and taking action, etc. You don’t need permission to do it.
I took this picture from an elevator within a Marriott hotel during my travels a week or so ago. If you can’t read it clearly, here is what it says …
“You will find only Pepsi products in Marriott hotels because, in a time of need, Marriott asked Coke for a loan, but were denied – Pepsi said yes! Thanks, Pepsi 🙂 ”
While we certainly should not expect anything from helping others during a time of need, we also never know what might come of it. Do good and help others whenever you can!
By nature, I tend to dwell on “the how.” I like to plan things for quite a while before execution actually happens. However, I can get stuck in planning and the truth of the matter is that to break into new territory, practice and trials beat thoughts and plans. [read more]
The thing that matters most to you may seem out of reach at the moment. Perhaps it is not the moment yet, not the season … yet. But if you believe, hold tight, you might just be at the threshold. Be ready to turn the page, because the impossible can become possible at any moment if you persist.
Awareness can lead to insight and more meaningful actions.
As you jump into this new week of opportunity, give thought to what you have recently learned and what insight it has provided about you. What can you do differently? What can you improve? Where can you sharpen your saw?
What one area will you commit to making an improvement in this week?
