Liz Strauss at Successful Blog

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Are You a Leader or a Pleaser? Take the Test

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Find Out Now

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When I work with folks who are finding their path, we often talk about famous leaders and what made them what they are.

Ghandi, Nelson Mandela, Jesus, Mother Teresa . . . where they leaders or fools? Each did things that were praised as the ultimate sacrifice for the good of others, but were they leaders really or did they just give themselves away?

Ah, there’s the trick, figuring that part out.

I’ve known a few “victim types” in my time. They thought they were the next Mother Teresa or such, but it wasn’t who they were, I don’t think. Truth is I won’t ever know. The decision isn’t mine.

The reason I can’t determine the answer is because the actions look the same whether the person is a leader or a fool. The answer to question is fully inside the person’s own mind.

You can take the test for yourself. It’s easy. Pick the one that’s you.

Are you a leader or a pleaser? Only you know for sure. But I suggest you to for the first.

Give yourself what you need. It’s easier to say “no” to the folks who don’t deserve what you’ve got.

–ME “Liz” Strauss
Decide to be a leader. Work with Liz!!
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Change the World: Be a Leader on Your Path

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March to Your Own Drummer

Change the World!

When I was a child, people said I marched to a different drummer. It was said with a bit of love and a forgiving smile. The implication of such a condition was a sad prognosis. It meant that I would never get where folks were supposed to go or that it would take me a hard long road to arrive there.

I’m not sure that I really followed that different drummer. Seems I ended up in a life much like most others. I didn’t take nearly the risks that I might have, nor did I reach for the rings that dreamed of. Secretly I thought those dreams meant for other people.

I’ve come to realize that we’re all leaders who have been following someone else’s path. First in school we learn to lead inside their corridors and conventions. Then in the work world where a veer to the left will get a bad review or an escort to the door with no thought of returning.

We’ve been trained to change ourselves to make ourselves fit into the cars that drive us to the buildings where we work in the jobs that we study for so that we have the right skill sets. And we wonder every day if who we are is good enough to be there. It’s the dilemma of the square peg worrying that someone will find out it doesn’t belong in a round hole.

I guess I finally fell in step with that drummer, because now I show people how to live and work their passion. It’s an amazing thing to see the change when they realize they can be exceptional and make a living.

What if we all fit jobs to ourselves and best skills instead trying to fit us them? Wouldn’t we be outstanding performers? Couldn’t the world use some original thinkers who brought their best to solve the hardest problems? I’m thinking that we would see that sort of work as noble, invigorating, and productive.

What if we became leaders on our own paths following our own drummers?

How could bringing our best be anything less than outstanding?

We can change the world — just like that.
–ME “Liz” Strauss
Work with Liz!!
Fit your work to you in Models and Masterminds
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If you’re ready to change the world, send me your thoughts in a guest post. Feel free to take the gorgeous Change the World image up there that Sandy designed back to your blog. Or help yourself to this one.

Change the World!.

Email me about what you’re doing or what we might do. Let’s change the world one bit at a time together. Together it can’t take forever.

Change the World: Be What You Need

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It Was a Decision

Change the World!

My experience is that each of us has a time when someone has treated us unfairly. It’s what we do with those occasions, those stories, that make our lives and maybe change the world.

Not long ago, a friend told me about someone in his past who hurt him terribly. The person said my friend’s work, his life, and his being were worthless and cheap. I’ve never met a person who had no worth. If I do, I’m sure he or she would look nothing like the man who told me this.

At first, I wanted to help. Then I realized the story had happened over 20 years ago. Instead, I asked how that event had affected his life.

He said, “I decided I would be sure to show people their worth.”

Wow! Fix a hurt by being what you need.

We can change the world — just like that.
–ME “Liz” Strauss

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If you’re ready to change the world, send me your thoughts in a guest post. Feel free to take the gorgeous Change the World image up there that Sandy designed back to your blog. Or help yourself to this one.

Change the World!.

Email me about what you’re doing or what we might do. Let’s change the world one bit at a time together. Together it can’t take forever.

Change the World: Find Rock Bottom

Filed Under Motivation/Inspiration, Successful Blog | 14 Comments

Change the World!

I was on my way to a post by Cath Lawson I read yesterday. I Googled her name to get there. The post that came up first had a great headline.

Sometimes You Need to Hit Rock Bottom

I’ll wait while you read it.

I know few things about hitting rock bottom. Haven’t been there recently. Don’t plan to go there again ever, but I’m sure glad I made the trip. I was just turning thirty . . .

Losing everything isn’t the worst thing. It was the best thing that happened to me. With all of the “stuff” gone, I was left with me. That made it easy to see just who I was and who I was not. Even better than that, I learned a secret. People liked being around that person — broke, flaws, and all. Losing everything got me to build a new foundation on what I believed to replace the one I had built on other people’s voices. Why not? What were they going to do? Take all of my money? I had none.

I don’t wish you ever lose what you need to make your world function. But I do wish you the joy of security based in who you are not in what you own. It’s a new way of belonging. Rock bottom means that you’re standing on stable ground.

When we belong, we can make things better from just being a part.

We can change the world — just like that.
–ME “Liz” Strauss

______________
If you’re ready to change the world, send me your thoughts in a guest post. Feel free to take the gorgeous Change the World image up there that Sandy designed back to your blog. Or help yourself to this one.

Change the World!.

Email me about what you’re doing or what we might do. Let’s change the world one bit at a time together. Together it can’t take forever.

Change the World: Joy!

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See the Joy of Learning!

Change the World!

Ah, how we’re all waiting for spring time. I remember how I used to wait to break out my bike for that first bike ride. Even before the streets were quite clean and ready, I’d be watching for just enough sunshine.

For some reason, I needed the sun to fuel my feet so that I could push the pedals.

When it finally came I’d be off exploring, learning, becoming — filled with the joy of living. I start asking whether I could help the neighbor lady pull dandelions or whether sweeping her walk might be a good thing.

Even as a children, we seem to know that the best way to learn is to jump in and participate. And good things would always happen, when I gave a little to a cool project. Thing was that I had to go out to find them after a long winter hibernation.

The payments were good feelings, learning, smiles, and joy.

Joy is still a word well worth sharing. Go get some by giving some away.

We can change the world — just like that.
–ME “Liz” Strauss

______________
If you’re ready to change the world, send me your thoughts in a guest post. Feel free to take the gorgeous Change the World image up there that Sandy designed back to your blog. Or help yourself to this one.

Change the World!.

Email me about what you’re doing or what we might do. Let’s change the world one bit at a time together. Together it can’t take forever.

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