For Greater Success, Say “Yes!”

You have a dream, a mission to do something extraordinary with your life.  A great way to turn those dreams into a reality is to say “Yes”, get moving, take risks, do something new, make mistakes and grow, not just in your work but in your life.

I was thinking of a time in my life when growing my business felt so easy and comparing it to a time where things felt hard and sometimes impossible. What was the difference?

I had an amazing time in my life where anything felt possible. Growth, even the hard stuff, felt really easy. When I look closer I see that the ease in all of my life, including work, was because I was stretching and doing new things in my personal life. I was taking fun classes; golf, scuba, speed reading, a Louise Hay class, ballroom dancing, investing, a Native American Shaman doing an Abundance Ceremony, an Introduction to Coaching class and so many more. I was doing personal development as a continual process. I was reading interesting books, that taught me new things, inspired me and made me feel alive. I was meeting new and different people, doing new and different things. What I didn’t realize was that doing all those things boosted my confidence… a lot. I felt powerful. I felt able to go after what I wanted and I did.

In most of the list above, it was new. I failed a lot. Golf… I sucked, even after multiple group classes. And, a group of us from one of those classes had a blast playing golf very, very poorly together. I wasn’t worried about failing or looking stupid because as I learned those new things and took action, I failed and looked stupid a lot. It was just part of the process. It was fun. We laughed at our foibles. As Carol S. Dweck, PhD talks about in her book “Mindset”, I had a “growth mindset”. I was naturally moving forward. I didn’t get stuck. I’d find a way… or just do as good as I could. (Thinking about the golf again. We really sucked.)

So, when I started coaching school and building my business I went for it without a fear of failure stopping me. It was hard and fabulous! I was open to new possibilities and I was excited and on fire.

And then I wasn’t. When I got really focused on my business some time later, I quit doing all those fun things. I quit doing all those things where new, failure and growth were normal and often fun or at least amusing (sorry, again, the golf). Everything felt and got harder. I felt like I had to “do it right” and “look right to others”. It just became hard work. I felt stuck. I was stuck.

So, what about you? Do you want to play bigger? Do you have things that in your life or business that you’re either avoiding or you’re doing but you’re playing smaller than you want to be?

What could you start doing now, in any part of your life (especially the fun stuff (don’t try golf)) to stretch your self, to grow, to fail, to learn, and become that badass go getter that you want to be? What can you do to get out and play again, to try new things. To risk and fail in places where there is a softer landing, where trying and failing are safe(ish) and where you are surrounded by others doing the same thing.

In Dr. Rangan Chatterjee’s book “Make Change That Lasts” Chapter 4 is “Embrace Discomfort” he talks about different ways to stretch like working out, pushing your self harder than you’re comfortable with or learning something new that’s not easy. Even little things like doing 30 seconds of cold water at the end of your shower to push into discomfort. (I found that chapter so good that it made it worth buying the book.)

I think about risks like talking to strangers, going to workshops, classes, events. One of my clients just signed up for an improv class.

To step up, to stand out, to really lead and do something extraordinary, not just do what’s “normal”… it helps to be willing to be vulnerable, to be growing and trying new things. Big and new enough that you fail sometimes.

Part of the time that I shared above was what I call my “Yes! season” because I decided to say, “Yes!” when people asked me to do something new. (I promise this will be the last time…) My cousin invited me to play in a Best Ball Golf Tournament (with a group of retired Microsoft people (that were really good at golf.) I, of course, said “Yes”. It was so hard and so awful. I was the worst player there. Am I glad I did it? Yes!

Just Say “Yes!”.

If you want to up level in your life, grow your business or go for a better job, how about saying “Yes!” to opportunities that come along, to invites, to adventures, to a class, to that next stretch or possibility, to that wish or dream that niggles in the back of your mind? What if you just went for it?

The Invitation by Oriah Mountain Dreamer

It doesn't interest me what you do for a living.
I want to know what you ache for
and if you dare to dream of meeting your heart's longing.
It doesn't interest me how old you are.
I want to know if you will risk looking like a fool
for love, for your dream, for the adventure of being alive…

By the way, the client taking the improv class is someone I’ve been working with for years and was a friend before that. He invited me to take the Improv class with him… it sounds scary. I really don’t want to do it. I’m already taking two classes. And I just signed up! I want the adventure of being alive!

What about you? What’s your next “Yes!”?

This is your life, make it what you want it to be!

To Your Success!
Lisa

One of my favorite books to help you get moving:

“Living Big” by Pam Grout It’s filled with possibilities and inspiration, and Pam is a lovely human being.