Monday 13 June 2011

So What?

Ever got to the point where you ask yourself:

What am I doing, why am I doing it, is it working, where am I going etc 

Just when I was beginning to question why I am still 4sighting/persevering with the Getinvolved project a woman came up to me recently at the end of 4N meeting and said, “Thank you. What you said has given me inspiration to carry on & the knowledge that it’s not just me that struggles.”  Thought I’d share the lessons learned so far as feedback like that is a massive part of my “why”. 

Creating quiet still space for a germ of an idea to form. We are so inundated with input (social media/phone/email etc) and the pressure to be instantly available can be overwhelming. How can you know what’s going on inside if you don’t make time to listen? You could easily overlook what might be a brilliant idea.

Once the idea progresses to the point where you are going to (& probably feel compelled to) act, pause to reflect on why it is important to you. Whilst  £ is great, it’s pursuit alone is unlikely to keep you going when it gets really tough. I’ve talked about this before in some earlier articles. As Nietzsche put it, “If man has a big enough why he can cope with almost any how.” Make sure your why is MASSIVE! 

When setting a target aim for the stars. Setting an ambitious goal forces us to think creatively. It’s all too tempting to set a soft target and give ourselves a pat on the back for a job well done. Set a big target & be prepared to “fail” publicly. Put your ego to one side & get on with it. Failure is the other side of the coin from innovation. Think about it. You will be forced to think differently and even if you fall short of the big target you will almost certainly beat the soft/easy option. Going public helps you hold yourself accountable! 

Collaborate. You don’t have to prove you can do it all on your own. Not only is it easier if there are a few of you involved…it’s a lot more fun too. Find people who share your values/your “why” and engage. Everyone involved must have an equal amount to gain/lose from the project’s success/failure.

I’ve read/spoken loads about “letting go” over the years & thought I understood the concept well. The last few months have been an exercise in shifting from “me” to “we”/ “mine” to “ours”. If I’m honest I’m still struggling a bit and there are others involved who are patient teachers. Thank you.

Persevere. Life/business & marathons can be gruelling at times. Stick with it one step at a time. It may not turn out as you expected and the route may be full of twists & turns. If you put all of the above into practice you will get “there”…even if it’s a different “there” from the one you set off for!



Thank YOU lady for saying what you said as it has re focused me on my “why” and answered the “so what”.

Monday 6 June 2011

Why!

Why do you do what you do? It's really important that you know...people connect with the "why" rather than the "what".Also,it's the "why" that keeps us going through the tough times. As Nietzsche put it,"If man has a big enough why he can cope with almost any how".

Thursday 26 May 2011

Failure

Most of us dislike failure...especially in public.We aim short so we stay safe.That's an ok option but you( and others) are missing out. Aim big,be ambitious with your targets and go public with them.It forces you to think creatively,collaborate with others and persevere.If you ultimately fall a bit short it's only the ego that suffers.You will have exceeded the short/soft target & been innovative/creative in the process.

Monday 23 May 2011

Sticking with it!

Many of you will know that I've been involved in marathon running/fundraising through the www.getinvolved.biz project. I decided to focus all my energy & attantion on that...hence my longer than usual absence from this blog! It's been a 6 month committment which I'm glad I've done...never again! The training & running has provided many rich metaphores for life & business etc. I looked like one of those people who simply should not be running at all. I developed a stabbing pain in my hip at about 20 miles. That's when a really good reason why is needed. Crossing the line with my sister is s pretty powerful reason to carry on.I'm now speaking around the country about the parallels between life/marathon etc...I WILL post more regularly!!