Tag: success

Leadership is shining your light

I grew up always attracted by the light in people’s eyes. I felt so dazzled by the glimmer shining through these eyes. Yet, I noticed how often this light lies dormant on people’s faces, and I wondered what is it that stops this spark. Is it fears, or feeling inadequate? Is it sadness? Is it the weight of the world some people carry on their shoulders? I know too well how hiding my light for so long has shrunk my potential arbitrarily, and cast a shadow for many around me.

As we hide our light, we hamper the world from becoming a more vibrant and beautiful place. We are often taught early in life to hide, to be cautious – often with good intention to avoid being hurt or to fail. Sometimes, we are cautioned by others out of envy or other less positive intents. Yet, it is through daring to become visible and to shine that we can bring out our full potential. The world will know the difference between a light shining, and a desire to draw attention to self.

You may have been told that shining your light is immodest. You may have believed that it is risky to draw attention, as you may be rejected or, even worse, you may have to bear the responsibility of success. Truthfully, when you hide your light, you quash your dreams, and prevent others from benefiting from your aptitudes, thus denying the world new experiences. This light is what makes you unique, what you need to lead your life, and what grants others the permission to shine their own light, allowing them to go and explore their own brilliance. Wherever your light comes alive, in the library, the kitchen, in the forest, or at work, lead the way. Stop holding back! You will do the world a favor!

Leaders of the impossible

One of the most useful lessons I learned in my lifetime is that nothing is impossible. I grew up mostly on my own, as an only child with working parents, at a time when it was not rare to see children home alone, relying on the community around them to keep an eye out for them. I often came across issues that, as a child, seemed insurmountable. But with time and persistence, I came to realize that there is always a solution; nothing stays insurmountable for long; everything passes; and nothing has to be impossible.

I discovered three steps to overcome anything in life. The first one is to remind yourself and firmly believe that nothing is impossible, if you set your mind to it. It provides the necessary courage and persistence to move through your challenge.

The second step is to believe in yourself, seek within and realize the number of ideas that can come to you. Remember that you do not need the best solution. You just need a solution to try things out. You also need to act, to choose, so as to start moving beyond what is obstructing your path.

The third step is to look around and think of others. Enlist the support of your network, friends, and family. The more people thinking in the same direction, the more solutions can be found and paths created. You can also think of people who have turned adversity into success, and thus gain a larger perspective. Others can be a source of inspiration. In our darkest hours, we can always resort to the deep knowing that there is light at the end of the tunnel, and there is no need to feel helpless. We have the resources to find our way out. We are created that way! Taking the first step is all it takes; the next ones will appear. Believing in ourselves, we will always prevail.

Success beyond limits

Everyone knows the saying “there is a limit to what we can do.” Indeed, we all define and thereby limit our potential in the course of life. For most of us, there is power in knowing our own personal limits, so as not to overextend ourselves. Yet in principle, as we often tell our kids: “the sky is the limit.” There are so many paths, so many options, so many experiences to choose from in life that it is often difficult to determine and accept our limits. We are all born with unique aptitudes and develop personal desires which help us determine the path we wish to travel, while our bodies through stress, discomfort, and other forms of resistance let us know the range of our comfort zone. Observing when we feel drained give us insight as to our respective limits.

I have observed for myself that my attitude towards limits is usually to push beyond. I always do my best work when I get just beyond the limits of my comfort zone, where I extend the range of my capabilities. Others might thrive within their own limits, actively shaping their circumstances. Indeed what inspires or invigorates one individual may exhaust or overwhelm another. I noticed, however, that there is another type of limit that I periodically come up against, where I once decided that “no” this was not for me. I was not going to do this type of job; I was not interested in this field; I did not like this person. Each time I set such a threshold, life has a way to push me against my own limits, and I have been surprised to discover that my limits thereby change over time. In fact, my willingness to get beyond these limits has helped me flourish in many ways.

You may discover as you go about life that your limits are there to be gently transgressed. They reveal themselves as a way to smoothen your passage through life. You realize that you become a “bigger” person for overcoming your upper limits. Ultimately, the best things in life are those that cannot be quantified, that are essentially unlimited. Looking at one’s life, success could be summed up in three questions: Did I love enough? Did I give enough? Did I live enough? Pushing the limits in these regards may just be the way to go!