Opportunities are endless. If we seek, we shall find. But, just like a goldfish, we outgrow our “bowls.”
You might have caught a glimpse of the cover of the famous book, “The Big Leap.” If you haven’t, let me describe it for you. There is a small fish bowl of water and a large fish bowl of water. The goldfish has leaped from the small bowl and is in mid-air, leaping to the large bowl. This signifies what we all know to be true. If we truly want lasting growth in our lives and in our businesses, we must “Leap” with the faith we have in ourselves that we can arrive and be the true leaders we desire to be. In the newfound “water” there are more opportunities, more abundance, more of EVERYTHING! We are our own safety nets, period!
So, why are so many individuals afraid of the Leap? The most common answer is fear. Without the desire to grow, change and become a better version of ourselves, we remain in the same “fishbowl” that we have created as our reality. We remain stuck, fearful of the outcome. As leaders, we cannot focus on what happens to us, we must focus on what is happening for us. Look up every once in a while and reap the benefits of what is happening around you: those you can meet, those that collaborate with you, those that are looking to you for guidance and direction. Opportunities are endless. If we seek, we shall find. But, just like a goldfish, we outgrow our “bowls.”
Have you heard about the proximity principle? You are the combination of the five people you hang around the most. You most likely have the same net worth, like some of the same foods, enjoy the same activities, etc. This can keep you stuck if you are around those unwilling to grow. Leaping to the new bowl offers the opportunity for you to meet someone new, put yourself in a new crowd, develop new skills that form into new habits and take on new leadership roles in your business, career, family and community. Let’s break down L.E.A.P. so we can diminish the fear that sets in whenever we think of doing something that we have never done before.
L is for Lead The clear definition of leadership is simple: someone is following you. Now, think in your life about who that someone might be. Who is a raving fan of yours? Who are you leading now in your life? Is it someone at work, someone in your community, a friend, family member, or colleague? We are all leaders in some way. It helps to know who you lead now so you can determine who you want to lead in the future. Back in 1989, I started working for corporate America and the climb up the ladder began. As my career grew, I stepped into leadership roles without asking permission of others. I led hundreds of CEOs – in fact, it was over 300 CEOs – in building massively successful businesses, led internal employees to ask for what they wanted in their careers, to fight for themselves, led successful fundraisers and created successful programs within the company that increased employee retention and overall gratitude within the office. We have the power within us to shine our greatest value, our personal power to build up others.
E is for Enhanced To enhance means to intensify. Now that I am a successful entrepreneur, working with my clients is all about intensifying their message and purpose. Be bold and put yourself out there for others to know, like and trust! By sharing who you really are, sharing your wisdom and experience, people can relate to you, and when they can relate to you, they grow to like you, trust you and even want to work with you as an authority if you can solve their problem. I see too many times that individuals in business do not take the leadership role of themselves and create that authority. Let’s face it. No one out there has ever been you, will ever be you, so there is only one YOU! Leverage all of that, including your degrees, to your advantage by being transparent with others. I’m a 1st-degree black belt in Taekwondo and have that on my LinkedIn profile. Why, you ask? Because to me it was just as hard if not more difficult than college! I gained so many valuable lessons about breaking through mental blocks, how it feels to have a strong mind and body, and what I’m capable of. I’m not sure of one single college that teaches us those life lessons. Be the authority of you, it works. I guarantee it!
A is for Acceleration If you are like me, you may not be very patient. Now I understand that patience is a virtue. I wasn’t in line the day God handed out “patience,” but it can be practiced. Be of the mindset to accelerate all that you can. That must be why I enjoy cooking instead of baking. Baking requires exact measurements and A LOT of patience to watch bread rise, beat it back down, then rise again, roll it and finally cook it. When I cook, I throw ingredients in a cast iron pan (a hot one at that) and whip up something quick! This is the way I enjoy working. You can accelerate the growth of your company by creating power plays and partnerships with others. Accelerate the growth through additional learning and surrounding yourself with those individuals who fuel your success, not snuff it out! Remember earlier when I talked about who you are surrounding yourself with? Don’t be afraid to ask others for what you want, ask yourself for what you want, and, most importantly, ask God! Figure out what it is that you want in your business and go for it!
P is for Peak Performance We are never done learning or expanding our minds to greater possibilities. If you believe that is true, it is! Every year we need to be focusing on learning, taking inventory of what worked in the past and what is no longer serving us. This is what I do quarterly in my business. I compare where we are at the moment with our goals. Are we ahead or behind the timeline we set for the business in the beginning? And how can we accelerate that growth? Generally, if I’m not operating at my peak potential and my team is not operating at their peak performance, then it’s nearly impossible to reach such heights. How do you know you are operating at your peak performance? You are performing better than you were last year, better than last month, and even better than yesterday. You are crushing it and loving every second of it!
I want to meet you and will be speaking at the Athena Awards in Prescott on Sept. 18. Connect with me on social media, LinkedIn or even track me down on my website. QCBN
By Colleen Biggs
For additional information on how you can schedule a 30-minute strategy call with Colleen Biggs, visit her website at https://colleenbiggs.net/ and schedule that call here https://calendly.com/colleenbiggs/30min and visit her online community https://colleenbiggs.net/community/ to find more ways that you can increase your leadership through visibility https://colleenbiggs.net/freebies/
Nominations are being accepted now for the 2022 Prescott-Area ATHENA Award. Find nomination form and ticket information for the ATHENA High Tea event, Sunday, Sept. 18, at prescottathena.com.
To hear more from Colleen Biggs, find her on Zonie Living, “Leading Ladies Who Inspire, Empower and Model Excellence,” at starworldwidenetworks.com.
Leave a Reply