The Truth That No One Tells You
There’s a secret that successful individuals rarely share. And it is this . . .
Some of the most celebrated companies and creative endeavors didn’t start with complete clarity, a detailed plan, or a five-year goal. They started with an idea, a wisp, a glimmer of a thought, which the person then followed and explored, often through significant periods of self-doubt.
Clarity is not the place from which we begin but rather the place at which we ultimately arrive. And it is a cycle we go through again and again—sometimes in the span of minutes, sometimes in the span of months, sometimes in the span of years.
Your Inner Current
Within each of us is an inner line of wisdom, an Inner Current that runs through everything we do.
It is in your cells and in your soul . . .
It is what motivates you from the inside out.
And whether you’re aware of it or not, this inner line, this invisible silent force, shows up in every area of your life.
For many people, it’s unconscious, yet you are expressing it every day.
The Deserted Island
One way to connect with your Inner Current is to remember what really matters . . . for you.
If you were on a deserted island dying and you knew you weren’t going to make it . . . that this was the end . . . but there was a young person there with you—someone you cared about deeply . . . and if—before you died—you could give that young person only one piece of advice about life and how they might best live theirs . . .
What would that one piece of advice be?
Whatever just came into your heart/mind/soul is exactly right for you and is the beginning of the essence of your Inner Current.
It’s the driving force behind your vision, your voice, and your values.
4 Questions
Your responses to these four questions will help you clarify your next move and keep you risking forward in the right direction.
- WHAT INTERESTS YOU NOW?
- WHAT LIGHTS YOU UP?
- WHAT STOPS TIME FOR YOU?
- WHAT DON’T YOU WANT?
The Crimson Star
Follow interest, curiosity and excitement. Trust that light that flickers across your soul.
. . . even if it makes no sense to others
. . . even if people question or discourage you.
Your interest, curiosity, and excitement are not only “good enough” reasons to explore an idea.
They are THE reasons. They are your Hidden Genius at work, and they carry more wisdom than you know.
Ideas
Trust the idea that can lead to the idea.
Ideas arrive in your mind for a reason. They are gifts. You have the right—and in some cases even the responsibility—to speak up. One way to Risk Forward is to “Trust the idea that can lead to the idea.”
If you’re with others, you can simply say, “Okay, this may not be right, but it could be the idea that leads to the idea.”
This statement immediately deflects potential judgment. It helps people who are listening to start looking for how your idea might inspire one of their own . . . what might be ignited within them by you.
Your ideas and insights matter. Trust them.
Action
Don’t just do something.
Don’t just do something, stand there.
New improvisers make the mistake of jumping into the scene without first recognizing the dynamics at play. They think they must “do” something, assuming any action is better than none. This happens in the improvisational realms of business and life as well.
People . . . speak up in meetings just to talk, start certain projects because everyone else in their field is doing them, react too quickly to an issue without first taking the time to find out more about what actually happened . . . and why.
Just ‘doing something’ is not a good strategy.
Myths
As you Risk Forward, it’s essential to remain alert to longstanding conventional myths.
These myths are sometimes touted as truths, requirements that you must master in order to be successful.
The Myth Of Purpose
There’s a lot of talk about “finding your purpose.”
But you don’t need to find your purpose.
Your “purpose” is already in you.
Finding the words to describe it may take some time, but if you keep following what pulls you forward and lights you up, you’ll be on the right track.
The Myth Of Goals
For many people, goal setting is taken as an unquestionably positive activity and a requirement for success.
But if you think back on your life, it’s likely many of your top experiences arrived without you ever having set a goal for them.
While goal setting certainly has its place, it can also lead you astray. Unless your goals are aligned with your Inner Current, they will take you
WAY
OFF
COURSE.
The Myth Of Focus
There’s a commonly held belief that in order to achieve anything of meaning or merit, you must have focus.
But “focus” is frequently misinterpreted to mean you must express yourself through one core activity and aim your efforts at one main outcome only.
For those who have a range of disparate talents and interests, making a choice like this is a painful and counterproductive proposition.
Some people express themselves in one main direction. Others express themselves in a variety of ways.
The Myth Of Followers
There’s a misconception that the more followers you have, the greater your value.
The Myth Of Speed
There’s a general philosophy that faster is always better. And while we know it’s not, many of us live with a constant sense of urgency. It can wreak havoc on our inner lives.
Risking forward is not about speed. It’s about having the courage to respect your own rhythm, even when the whole cry of voices is telling you something else.
We must honor our own internal clocks . .
Faster is not necessarily better.
Quitting
You can take a break, but you can’t quit.
In our “all or nothing” world, the combination of the two together offered a whole new approach to risking forward.
We don’t have to be pushing all. the. time.
As Jeff Bezos said, be stubborn with the vision but be flexible with the details.
Surrendering
Risking forward is never a straight line.
It has its own course, its own design. At times the path may look daunting, twisting in unexpected ways and doubling back.
Have patience. Have courage. Keep going.
