Perceived Leadership
How do some folks always seem to know where they’re going? Are you one of them?
We learn in school the ease of having our time and our next steps arranged by someone else’s plan. Our limited decisions decide our rewards and failures. So we feel we’re some part of the system. Yet, through necessity we have no real controlling decisions. We learn perceived leadership that has no real risk and no real power.
Following a preset path is great if it goes where you want to end up. It’s not so great when we find ourselves on a path leading to somewhere we don’t really belong. Unfortunately, no one tells us when to switch over to our own power.
7 Ways to Carve a Path to the Future of Your Dreams
We graduate as leaders who might be excellent at following the larger plan. But there’s no official transition from doing that to carving our own path. Some of us jump in naturally and start walking. Some us follow what’s laid before us until we find ourselves out of a job. It’s easy to be swept along without ever owning our decisions, but that’s a risky business and ultimately not fulfilling.
Here are 7 ways to carve your own path to the future of your dreams starting now.
- Have a purpose. It’s powerful and attractive to have a defining direction. Without a purpose, circumstances decide where and how you land. The wind or the world can blow you anywhere. When every road leads to nowhere, who bothers to choose?
- Get determined. It’s your life. Breathe for it. Eat for it. Keep the folks who support you close. Disregard those who shoot you down.
- Speak for yourself. Speak with care and carefully, but say what you mean as clearly as you know how. Don’t discount what you’re saying. Say the guy was wrong, even a jerk, if you solidly think so. Tell the real story — respectfully — without fear of how you might look. Stand for what you think by saying it out loud.
- Have a strategy. Char said it well, “A goal without a plan is just a wish.” Wishes are granted. If you’re wishing, you want someone else in control.
- Hold your own hand. Be your own teacher. Don’t stop your progress until someone has time to show you how. Plan a way to what you need to know. Do the research. Write your own lesson. Then do the homework. That’s incredible power.
- Pay attention to your intuition and instincts. You years of experience didn’t all get recorded as words. Some things your body knows. Trust that your post decisions have taught you how to respond to those now.
- Decide what success looks like to you. Seek out opinions and value them for exactly what they’re worth. You’ll always have more experience and more information about being you than anyone else can know.
It’s totally in our power to reach our dreams and our destiny — we can start on our way right here and right now. We can turn off the voices that tell us what we’re not . . . , what we should . . . , who’s supposed to . . . they’re not in charge of what we do with our lives. I offer this bit of wisdom to their noise.
My future is at the end of the path that I follow. I’ll carve it myself.
What do you need to decide to start toward your future?
–ME “Liz” Strauss
Take charge. It’s not as hard as you might think. Work with Liz!!
The realisation that someone believes in you too. That no matter how hesitating your first plans, dreams or ideas are spoken out by yourself, there is someone else – who trusts you and who you trust – believes you can reach them no matter what.
That’s the first recognition you need to push forward and start believing it yourself π
After such an experience you’ll believe in your new plans, goals, ideas more easier and relaxed – the doubt in yourself has gone.
Karin H. (Keep It Simple Sweetheart, specially in business)
Hi Karin!
It sure helps when someone believes we can do it. It helps even more when we choose to believe in ourselves.
As you say, “the doubt is gone.”
Hi Liz
Yes, believe has to start somewhere. And since most of us give ourselves a hard time in that respect we better listen to wise and trusting words from others π
Karin H.
Yeah, Karin!
I agree. Most of us have more negative voices in our heads than we do around us. Seems a shame, but it’s true.
I would add item number eight: try different things to help you understand your strengths.
Many people, especially those coming out of school, haven’t had enough experience to know their purpose or what constitutes their work values. By trying different things in the work place, a person is exposed to things that will help them find their purpose and know their strengths.
Knowing your self is tough — you are too close to what you do. By trying different things, you will be able to find the strengths that are best for you.
Great post, Liz!
Hi Scot!
And with that comes, ask folks who know well to tell you what they see . . . but don’t overvalue their opinions. π
Hi Liz – thanks for this. I was considering not publishing a couple of posts I’ve written because I worried about what people might think of them.
But, your step 3 – speak for yourself has inspired me to just do it.
Yea CatherineL!
Always listen to your worry — one time. Go back over them and check how you feel. You’ll know then with this renewed self-support whether your worry was unfounded and to let ’em rip!
Hi Liz
I’m enjoying your burst of numbered posts π
Most of the time I subscribe to the principle of wandering where there is no path… other than the one you leave behind you π
But there are times when I am haunted by a feeling there’s a path I’m ‘supposed’ to be on, which isn’t someone else’s plan for me, but links somehow to ‘purpose’, that there’s some purpose I’m ‘supposed’ to be fulfilling.
I don’t find it a helpful thought or feeling, but it’s also very strong, so I don’t feel I can or want to shake it off.
What kind of conversation do you think I could have with that voice that talks to me of the path I’m supposed to be on?
Sorry – I realise that’s quite a big question! (For me anyway!)
Joanna
Hi Joanna!
Of course you have a purpose! We all do. What good would life be if each of us didn’t add something special no one else could?
I’d say listen to that voice. Ask it what you want to know. All of the answers are inside of us.
Email me if you want to talk.
Nice to read your blog and you have given very good and useful information.
Great information shared here! Thanks for sharing your thoughts and advice!
Be the one when boring people they think it’s their fault.There’s a picture we made on the front of our business site that may appeal to you.
Many thanks for this piece of “wakeup” inspiration.( I’ve been a little slack recently)
Take good care and get as much joy as you can everyday.
“My future is at the end of the path that I follow. IΒll carve it myself.”
Is this Trademark protected?”