In the boardroom, I have often felt like I was the only one having the conversation about the power in intention, vision and goals as eyes were glazing over. I was both vindicated and humbled when my 23 year old daughter called to give me the same advice I have been giving my clients.
She had just finished three days of orientation and training with Lululemon Athletica. It was a proud moment for me, because she had learned intuitively in 3 days what many people in the corporate world have difficulty grasping or imagining.
"You need a clear BHAG - do you know what that is? - a big hairy audacious goal - and to set an intention. How else will you know if what you are doing is taking you along your path if you don't have a path", she explained with a rebellious tone. "Maybe Lynear Thinking is too narrow and too corporate", she said.
The clarity rung so true that cracks started to form. She had seen what I was trying to hide - that I was not being fully authentic about my future aspirations.
I went back to the drawing board of my own business plan, but I changed the experience by changing the language. I asked myself these questions: what would you dare to do if you could not fail?
Immediately my mind took me back to the beginning when I started university with a goal of being a writer and a journalist. That was my true love then, and continues to be. Writing is like breathing to me. I write because it puts things into perspective, not just for me, but for others who read it as well. I use journalistic principles of truth and balance in my writing, and I take an objective view to understand the situation, interpret what it means and who is affected.
The second question I asked myself is what do I do that I would do for free. Again, the answers are there in my daily life. I love to teach yoga inspired fitness classes because for that hour, my goal is help everyone in the class become successful in their own practice. Physical fitness, wellness and balance are vitally important as it helps me to put life and work into perspective. I also work with two non-profits as a board member.
Finally, I asked, who is there with me? Again, easy peasy. The people that I want to work with and spend time with are those who have a desire to get somewhere, to improve their own path and to help others in the community.
The planning process asked me for a 10 year outlook. O.M.G. That makes me 10 years older than I am now. At this point, I begin to panic. That is not enough time I tell myself. I waited too long.
After talking myself off the ledge of my own making, I came to the realization that time is what life is all about, for it is the only commodity that we cannot buy back. Time is the great equalizer. What we do with time is what matters.
I confirmed my intention to live and work with passion, and to work through purpose, with purpose. I set goals to write and publish, building on my love of journalism. I also set goals to help people reach their goals and shining the light on what is standing in their way, with information and words, and a little zen.
Knowing where you came from and learning from the experience is an important part of moving forward. I know that working for money alone is not as valuable as time.
Now my time and talent is spent working with organizations with limited capacity but great opportunity. I help them navigate government bureaucracy, plan the way ahead, and develop the means to be successful and competitive in the market place. I am their mouse, if you will, their facilitator. The person that moves them to action.
My work is focused on people who are genuinely trying to get somewhere, and who are secure in the fact that they may not know everything there is to know.
I work for sustainable change with individuals and companies who have a socially and economically viable desire. Through cooperation and collaboration with others like me who have the talent, professional knowledge and expertise and the desire to help others achieve their goals, we can move elephants. Yes, I am a mouse in the world of elephants. But I am a rebel mouse who can do mean a Chaturanga.
Namaste.
She had just finished three days of orientation and training with Lululemon Athletica. It was a proud moment for me, because she had learned intuitively in 3 days what many people in the corporate world have difficulty grasping or imagining.
"You need a clear BHAG - do you know what that is? - a big hairy audacious goal - and to set an intention. How else will you know if what you are doing is taking you along your path if you don't have a path", she explained with a rebellious tone. "Maybe Lynear Thinking is too narrow and too corporate", she said.
The clarity rung so true that cracks started to form. She had seen what I was trying to hide - that I was not being fully authentic about my future aspirations.
I went back to the drawing board of my own business plan, but I changed the experience by changing the language. I asked myself these questions: what would you dare to do if you could not fail?
Immediately my mind took me back to the beginning when I started university with a goal of being a writer and a journalist. That was my true love then, and continues to be. Writing is like breathing to me. I write because it puts things into perspective, not just for me, but for others who read it as well. I use journalistic principles of truth and balance in my writing, and I take an objective view to understand the situation, interpret what it means and who is affected.
The second question I asked myself is what do I do that I would do for free. Again, the answers are there in my daily life. I love to teach yoga inspired fitness classes because for that hour, my goal is help everyone in the class become successful in their own practice. Physical fitness, wellness and balance are vitally important as it helps me to put life and work into perspective. I also work with two non-profits as a board member.
Finally, I asked, who is there with me? Again, easy peasy. The people that I want to work with and spend time with are those who have a desire to get somewhere, to improve their own path and to help others in the community.
The planning process asked me for a 10 year outlook. O.M.G. That makes me 10 years older than I am now. At this point, I begin to panic. That is not enough time I tell myself. I waited too long.
After talking myself off the ledge of my own making, I came to the realization that time is what life is all about, for it is the only commodity that we cannot buy back. Time is the great equalizer. What we do with time is what matters.
I confirmed my intention to live and work with passion, and to work through purpose, with purpose. I set goals to write and publish, building on my love of journalism. I also set goals to help people reach their goals and shining the light on what is standing in their way, with information and words, and a little zen.
Knowing where you came from and learning from the experience is an important part of moving forward. I know that working for money alone is not as valuable as time.
Now my time and talent is spent working with organizations with limited capacity but great opportunity. I help them navigate government bureaucracy, plan the way ahead, and develop the means to be successful and competitive in the market place. I am their mouse, if you will, their facilitator. The person that moves them to action.
My work is focused on people who are genuinely trying to get somewhere, and who are secure in the fact that they may not know everything there is to know.
I work for sustainable change with individuals and companies who have a socially and economically viable desire. Through cooperation and collaboration with others like me who have the talent, professional knowledge and expertise and the desire to help others achieve their goals, we can move elephants. Yes, I am a mouse in the world of elephants. But I am a rebel mouse who can do mean a Chaturanga.
Namaste.
2 comments:
Brilliant. What you speak about is something that I am having to deal with right now with my own business. I am struggling with whether or not I should keep pursuing it, or another path that is totally off the beaten path of what I am doing now. Its funny as I am writing this I heard the answer in my head. I am not doing what my calling in life is. However, what if you are feeling like I want to very much follow my path of, but I am scared to death to start it. There I said it. I am scared to death. This is where I feel like I am the elephant and I cannot move a step forward.
I think you hit the nail on the head. We are terrified, and rightfully so. We are charting a new path and a new direction. A courageous direction. Something for which there is no road yet. Let's figure this out together.
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