Something was simply not right.
I could see it in his eyes and also in his results.
My client was definitely getting to the stage where he was facing the ‘thoughts’.
Having spent the last year travelling around the country speaking about personal branding and consulting to a myriad of incredibly talented individuals, I knew what was coming. Though each of my clients were different, the “thoughts” were exactly the same.
Our session had come to an end, however, I knew I had to confront him. He was about to launch a new venture and proactively start putting himself out there but he wasn’t doing the work.
“You know what needs to be done, and quite frankly you could do it in a day, why are you procrastinating?” I gently questioned. Just as I guessed, he proceeded to open up and prove me right.
It honestly doesn’t matter who you are, what you do, how you do it or why you do it, chances are, on the path to putting yourself out there and building your profile, you will inevitably face one or all of these thoughts.
With awareness comes power, power to decide if you are going to live by these thoughts or simply see them for what they are and let them go. You are the only one who can decide, all I can do is let you know what they are-
Who am I to speak?
This one definitely belongs at the top. My suggested response to it is- who are you not to speak! You came into this world with a purpose and something to say. Each and everyone of us has the ability to positively influence the lives of others, but all too often we shy away because we think we don’t count and our opinion does not matter. Whilst I accept we are not all here to reach international fame, fortune and influence, we are here to change the world in our own way. Your influence may only stretch to your team or department, but why for a minute would you think that doesn’t count. In the words of Buddha (or so they say) “One moment can change a day, one day can change a life and one life can change the world”.
I am not saying or doing anything new, why would anyone care?
There is much debate about where thoughts come from and perhaps we will never truly know. What we do know is original thought is rarely original, we live in a world and are influenced by it whether we like it or not. According to Mark Twain “There is no such thing as a new idea.” He goes on to say “It is impossible. We simply take a lot of old ideas and put them into a sort of mental kaleidoscope. We give them a turn and they make new and curious combinations. We keep on turning and making new combinations indefinitely; but they are the same old pieces of colored glass that have been in use through all the ages.” There is one thing, however, that is original and unique, that is you. Whatever you do, you bring it to life in your own way and that is what makes it original!
Everyone will think I have a big ego
It is my opinion, experience and observation, that the very people who might accuse you of having a big ego because you are putting yourself out there and giving something a go; are indeed the same individuals who are completely ruled by their ego! In fact, they are so worried about what others will say about them out of vanity and illusions of grandeur, that they hide away and certainly never challenge the status quo. I read a quote once and loved it so much, I ended up printing it on the back of my workshop booklets, it went something like this “The person you are becoming will cost you people, relationships, spaces, and material things. Choose the person you are becoming over everything.”
Thoughts will come and go and ultimately we decide which ones we want to hold onto. According to bestselling author, Byron Katie, “A thought is harmless unless we believe it. It is not our thoughts, but the attachment to our thoughts that causes suffering”. So while these thoughts are inevitable, your response to them is your decision alone. Now that is a thought worth holding onto.
My client was definitely getting to the stage where he was facing the ‘thoughts’.
Having spent the last year travelling around the country speaking about personal branding and consulting to a myriad of incredibly talented individuals, I knew what was coming. Though each of my clients were different, the “thoughts” were exactly the same.
Our session had come to an end, however, I knew I had to confront him. He was about to launch a new venture and proactively start putting himself out there but he wasn’t doing the work.
“You know what needs to be done, and quite frankly you could do it in a day, why are you procrastinating?” I gently questioned. Just as I guessed, he proceeded to open up and prove me right.
It honestly doesn’t matter who you are, what you do, how you do it or why you do it, chances are, on the path to putting yourself out there and building your profile, you will inevitably face one or all of these thoughts.
With awareness comes power, power to decide if you are going to live by these thoughts or simply see them for what they are and let them go. You are the only one who can decide, all I can do is let you know what they are-
Who am I to speak?
This one definitely belongs at the top. My suggested response to it is- who are you not to speak! You came into this world with a purpose and something to say. Each and everyone of us has the ability to positively influence the lives of others, but all too often we shy away because we think we don’t count and our opinion does not matter. Whilst I accept we are not all here to reach international fame, fortune and influence, we are here to change the world in our own way. Your influence may only stretch to your team or department, but why for a minute would you think that doesn’t count. In the words of Buddha (or so they say) “One moment can change a day, one day can change a life and one life can change the world”.
I am not saying or doing anything new, why would anyone care?
There is much debate about where thoughts come from and perhaps we will never truly know. What we do know is original thought is rarely original, we live in a world and are influenced by it whether we like it or not. According to Mark Twain “There is no such thing as a new idea.” He goes on to say “It is impossible. We simply take a lot of old ideas and put them into a sort of mental kaleidoscope. We give them a turn and they make new and curious combinations. We keep on turning and making new combinations indefinitely; but they are the same old pieces of colored glass that have been in use through all the ages.” There is one thing, however, that is original and unique, that is you. Whatever you do, you bring it to life in your own way and that is what makes it original!
Everyone will think I have a big ego
It is my opinion, experience and observation, that the very people who might accuse you of having a big ego because you are putting yourself out there and giving something a go; are indeed the same individuals who are completely ruled by their ego! In fact, they are so worried about what others will say about them out of vanity and illusions of grandeur, that they hide away and certainly never challenge the status quo. I read a quote once and loved it so much, I ended up printing it on the back of my workshop booklets, it went something like this “The person you are becoming will cost you people, relationships, spaces, and material things. Choose the person you are becoming over everything.”
Thoughts will come and go and ultimately we decide which ones we want to hold onto. According to bestselling author, Byron Katie, “A thought is harmless unless we believe it. It is not our thoughts, but the attachment to our thoughts that causes suffering”. So while these thoughts are inevitable, your response to them is your decision alone. Now that is a thought worth holding onto.