We all have dreams, thoughts, desires of how our life ‘should’ look and feel.
Thing is, when we can’t meet our (often rigid) ideals – usually in our daily approach and tasks – we lose trust in ourselves. We lose trust that we are ever going to reach our goals and become the person or leader that we dream of.
In contrast, when we can trust ourselves, trust that we can stick to a plan, be satisfied with it and be able to do it for a certain time, it builds momentum, certainty and confidence. All of those things are the opposite of lack of trust i.e. with these attributes, we improve our ability to trust ourselves.
Fact is, when we can build up a certain amount of reference points of self-trust, we create the ability to carry that across all areas of our lives.
So, am I talking about leadership here… or just ‘life’?
Well, lets’ take a look…
- If you believe that to be a good leader, you have to trust in yourself, have fantastic self-awareness and the ability to push through challenges by responding rather than reacting, then yes, we’re on the same page.
- If you believe that to be an amazing leader that you have to be living congruently with your values, feel whole, balanced, centred and grounded… then we’re definitely on the same page.
I believe one creates the other… living a congruent life builds trust in yourself that ‘you’ve got this’, and you’re on your way to building the business that you want and you’re ‘getting there’.
That’s what gives you the certainty in yourself that you can best serve your team and your clients.
…And when we find that balance, then we are absolutely leading and living life on our terms
EVERY
SINGLE
DAY
One strategy that I often use with my clients is the power of our imagination in a very specific and purposeful way. It’s way better than goal setting and it allows you the space to design the life that you want to live
Here’s how you can do it;
Firstly, let’s talk external vs internal. Many of us get sold on the idea that to be ‘successful’ we acquire things. ‘Things’ that we are programmed to believe will make us happy… “When we have these external additions, then we will feel happy”. You’ve all heard the stories of famous folk that have worked their butts off for years and finally get the huge houses, fancy cars, holidays and money but then sat around and wondered “Is this it?”
They still felt empty inside.
Don’t get me wrong. There is certainly a place for achieving and generating wealth – and creating the choice on how you’ll spend it! The key is to recognise that this alone, will not bring happiness and fulfilment.
I’m sure if you looked at the likes of Richard Branson, Oprah or Bill gates you’d recognise that their happiness and abundant ‘wealth’ does not come from the tangibles. They’ve had a dream, worked smart towards it, been supported and lived their values… they’ve grown on their terms to get where they are. They have the intangibles as well as the grandeur.
‘Getting more stuff’ is not the answer to a fulfilling life.
A life well lived consists of moments upon moments, where you experience what it is you value experiencing. When you live life in this way, you can lead with purpose, with volition, with trust and honesty.
But how? I hear you ask.
Back to the power of the imagination…
It’s about removing the ‘surface’ version of self that we take to work, the one that we believe we ‘should’ be and then digging deep to the core of our selves – the self that we are meant to be and the one we dream of.
The question to ask yourself is ‘What is my Ideal average day?’
Simple hey? J And like I said, waay better than traditional goal setting.
Here, instead of setting the goal for the mansion or fast car, it’s about goal setting for the day… and the best part is you can begin this process right now, today.
Think about it like this;
“If I could choose a day that I would love to live every single day, what would it look like?” (NB- it has to be sustainable! Not sitting on the beach drinking cocktails… as nice as that may sound 😉 and a day in which you’d never get bored or ‘sick of’)
Choose simply. Think about what experiences you’d like to have on a daily basis, how you would spend your time, what energy would you bring to the day… how do you want to be feeling? Start with when you wake – what deliberate intention and action can you do to set yourself up for the rest of the day. Design your day just as you would like it in your ideal scenario.
Now’s the opportunity to let go of wishing and waiting. Most people don’t think about these kinds of things. Most people can tell you what they don’t want, or worse yet, they let life take them day by day. To stand out, you must think differently to the crowd.
When you’ve completed outlining your Ideal Average Day, make purposeful steps every single day to start living this life… any step, as long as it’s forward towards the life you have designed. The one that is on your terms.
As you take these steps, commit and build the habit, your trust and confidence in self will spill over into all areas in your life. You will create momentum and see the results in your ability to be a phenomenal, responsive leader and your ability to boost your bottom line.
If this resonated with you, and you want to dive a little deeper, I’m gifting 5 slots of 45mins each to help you reach your goals!…. email me on sally@team-resilience.com.au and lets connect.