Posts

Intentional Leadership — D1, W1, M12 — Belief

For those who believe, no proof is necessary. For those who don’t believe, no proof is possible. ~Stuart Chase

Over the past couple of years, I have significantly accelerated my personal growth, first by joining the John Maxwell Team, then by investing in the Mentorship program, then by enrolling in the Deeper Path Coaching Cohort, then a number of other investments, workshops, gaining access to mentors and coaches, studying books, and other lessons that have all seemed to roll out of and into each other…and one key point keeps rolling through my mind, day in and day out, with each new challenge and opportunity, and it is this:

Belief determines your potential

It’s another one of those things that is so simple, yet so profound, and so true.

You see, when I have believed in myself, I have been successful. When I have allowed doubt and fear to take charge, I have fallen behind. I see it in others, as well. You see it daily, also; although as you read the stories in the news, magazines, and in books, or hear them on the radio, you don’t always have the benefit of hearing the words explicitly stated.

I don’t watch American Idol, but I understand that it is Simon Cowell’s habit to ask each contestant why they think they can be the next winner; what he’s looking for is the person who unhesitatingly states something along the lines of: “This is what I was born for.” “I know this is my destiny.” “Because I believe I am the best at what I do, and I’m going to win!” The people who cannot state something close to these statements of confidence usually do not do as well. I suggest that in some of these cases, there is a lack of confidence, a lack of belief, or perhaps some self-limiting beliefs in action, holding these folks back from living into their full potential.

The point is to get you thinking about how your beliefs have impacted your potential.

Get out your journal and spend some time reflecting on these questions today:

Write a brief description of a time when you believed in yourself and your potential, and stepped forward into success.

What beliefs did you hold that made it possible?

What choices did you make to achieve your potential?

What can you carry forward, from this experience, that would serve you well in other situations?

/by

Intentional Leadership — Month 12 — Belief

Well faithful readers, we are on the home stretch, as they say. Tomorrow we will begin the 12th, and final, month of our Intentional Leadership* journey. Over the next four weeks, we will focus on, think about, and take action in the area of Belief! It’s a fitting time of year for that — with the holidays coming up — don’t you think?

I believe each and every one of us is born with tremendous potential, and all the resources we need to reach it.

I believe each and every one of us can do all that we dream of and more.

I believe each and every one of us needs the support, insight, encouragement, and objectivity that is available to us only through a close friend or confidante…they see us as we cannot, and can provide us with new perspectives around how we interact in the world.

I also believe that too many of us fall short of our potential because our belief in ourself is not strong enough, and, as a result, we languish in our comfort zone, shackled with fear and doubt, and when we fail to live into our potential, we diminish others because we fail to share what we were meant to share with the world.

As Henry Ford said,

Whether you think (believe) you can or can’t, you are right.

Think of belief this way: It is the ignition switch that will launch you off the pad, if only you will hit the button!

Before we jump into the next four weeks, spend some time with your journal today and answer these questions:

What do I believe to be true about myself?

What do I believe is my potential as a leader?

What do I believe I am here to accomplish on earth?

What beliefs about myself do I need to accomplish my vision?

How have my beliefs about myself limited my ability to achieve what I have set out to do in the past?

What results can I attribute to my current self-beliefs?

*From the Intentional Leadership booklet by Giant Impact.

/by

Intentional Leadership — D2, W4, M11 — Initiative

Last week, I spent a few days with a group of like-minded, growth-oriented people from across the US and Canada. We were talking about our dreams and what it takes to bring them to fruition (it was a lot more profound than this, but simply put, that was the focus). One recurrent theme was “Dream Big.”

Dream Big!

After all, what’s the point of dreaming if you aren’t going to Dream Big?!

And why wouldn’t we dream big within our organizations, as well? Typically, in organizations, we speak of the BHAG — or Big, Hairy, Audacious Goal (Thank you, Jim Collins and Jerry Porras), which is a “commitment to challenging, audacious, and often risky goals and projects towards which a visionary company channels its efforts.”

What BHAG would propel your organization forward?

How can you use it to inspire others?

What steps would you need to take to initiate this BHAG?

What will you do, now, to get started?

/by