Awaken Your Greatness. Small, Consistent Actions Win The Race
I bet if I was talking to a crowd of people and asked, “How many of you have heard the phrase 'great leaders are born not made'?” nearly every hand would shoot up into the air. Truth is, I vehemently disagree with this idea. Great leaders are people who mastered the art of leadership. They are people who have a mindset of abundance, collaboration and contribution. People who have learned to let go of their judgments of others. People who have stopped beating themselves up because they are waaaay more committed to showing up as their awesome self than believing the crap between their ears is true.
See, greatness isn’t something you just are. It doesn’t come by way of osmosis. Greatness is how you choose to show up. Wait a minute Jen, you mean I have a choice about how I am showing up? You betcha. Choosing to be great takes practice – practice that is a result of small, consistent daily actions that become habits, that become a way of life, that make up who you truly are.
I see it as learning to run long distances. If you’re not a runner but want to learn to become one, you don’t show up to the track ready to run three miles. You show up to the track to run for five whole minutes. The next day maybe you run 15 minutes. Each day you show up and you build off the day before. People who have already reached ‘greatness’ know this is how it’s done. It’s short, consistent steps, not all at once. Greatness, like anything else, is a journey.
Any one of us can be on that journey and any one of us can master being great because honestly, each one of us already IS GREAT!. We may not see it in ourselves the way we see it in others, but the potential and possibility is there if we choose it. If we are willing to take consistent action.
Here are three small actions (or principles) you can adopt to start choosing greatness and become a better leader in life and business.
#1 LEAD FROM THE HEART
Leading from your heart starts with an intention to do so. Leading from the heart is a way of being, not something you do. You can’t think your way into it. So don’t try. Drop into your body and feel.
Sometimes you will be successful and sometimes you won’t. The point is to practice. The more you practice, the more effective you will be.
#2 LET GO OF PERFECTION
Perfection doesn’t exist in reality, so stop trying to be perfect. There is absolutely nothing wrong with you. ZERO, NADA, ZILCH. There may be barriers to your experience of your own greatness, or your ability to express your greatness under any and all circumstances, but that doesn’t mean you’re not great. You feel me???
#3 LISTEN FOR THE GOLD
Take the case, you’re always three feet away from “gold” —— IF you’re willing to let go of your viewpoints and make room for new ones. When you let go of your viewpoints and start actively listening for the gold, other people seem to change. Suddenly, you have empathy for that jerk at work because he is just having a rough day. That family member you could have sworn was undermining you, is simply disagreeing with your position.
These are simple, time-tested, but not so easy tools that will awaken your greatness. It just takes daily practice to master them, and a community of like-minded people to cheer you on!
Are you ready to Awaken Your Greatness in just 5 minutes a day, for 30 days?
Announcing the 30-Day Awaken Your Greatness Online Challenge. This will help you build a foundation for success that will help shape your future. In 30 days you will:
Transform negative, self-sabotaging habits into enriching, positive paradigms so that you move through your day with energy and enthusiasm
Become known as a passionate and empathetic leader — the kind we need now more than ever — so that your team flourishes
Let go of fear, anxiety and regret so that you are fully living in the present moment, here and now
It doesn't matter if you're brand new to personal growth or a seasoned veteran. This challenge is designed for anyone who has a commitment to transform their leadership. You will be in the right place with the right group of people!
Each day, you will get micro lessons through text prompts and short videos that will encourage you to take simple actions in just five minutes. Skills arise from practicing, and practicing is instrumental to our progress. The key to effective skill building isn’t the size of the action but the consistency of the action. Small steps on a daily basis do add up. This is how greatness is made.
Ready to jump in with us? I promise you won’t be the same human in 30 days. You’ll be a great human. The one that’s been inside you the whole time.