Today, in speaking with a client, who is a highly successful MD and an absolute trailblazer, (my favorite kind of leader) we discussed the extensive power he has through his influence and impact. His energy reaches across a large geographical area in a very deep and transformational way. Like so many of us, who are truly heart and soul-based leaders, he is filled with a profound humility having no awareness of the impact of who he is and how he has chosen to lead. Instead, he is aware of his guilt at not being able to help everyone, at his inability to “rescue” all those in his personal and professional life from hurt or pain.
All this because he was being called to help handle a crisis that had developed due to the story surrounding a highly influential person in his circle. In addition to expanding his impact and influence through creating an entirely new approach to his specialty, he is also achieving awe-inspiring balance for so many others in his world.
Leadership repeatedly calls us to reach beyond the norm. Conscious leadership calls us to change the values and to expand the impact we have, so as to reach so many more people who only need someone to give them permission, through example, to change the world through one action at a time. It can be hard to accept that our power, our influence, and our love of our purpose is so life-changing for ourselves and so many others.
It is so much easier to play it small and stay mindful of what we see as our “broken” or limited selves. In doing so, we lose connection to the larger picture while focusing solely on beliefs of being not good enough, smart enough, or worthy enough. The sad part of this is that it holds us back from being everything we are called to be which, in turn, limits our ability to have even great influence and impact. The fact that someone lovingly said to me this week at an event, “You have no idea how many love you and follow your every word.” made this meeting today with a client that much more impactful for me. Life gives us mirrors, always so that we can see what lessons are up to be learned.
Every one of us is human, yet every one of us is also infinitely divine. Every one of us has that lower self, that part of us that calls us to destructively play it small. It is a saboteur of who we have become. I call that part of me “my Southie.” She is a hard-ass little punk with a tough mouth and a swear word ready to roll. When she shows up, I frequently laugh. What I see is that passion, vibrancy, and desire to soar. Rather than judge her, I love that that part of me still exists. However, she is not a part of me that I express other than with dear friends who will laugh with me since the adult woman has grown far beyond that reactionary place.
Take time this week to recognize that when we consciously choose to lead, we need to humbly yet magnanimously demonstrate what we are bringing to the world. It is a gift offered in love and humility yet one which we are called to relish so we can continue to expand our impact and influence. We will never be “perfect” at it, whatever that means. However, we can be perfectly natural, perfectly divine, and perfectly human, all while making this world a better place, with ever-increasing impact and influence, by simply managing one outrageous action at a time…
