Project Exponential

Tag: courage

  • Find people better than you.

    He always makes the deal. She finds coveted inside information. He lands top meetings and befriends the opposition. Her comments catalyze progress that proceeds company-wide change. These folks are not your competition. Their work, their composure, their grace under fire, their successes are not your threats. In fact, these people are your greatest allies.

    People better than you offer a tremendous opportunity. They are resources to help you up your game. Their excellence can challenge you to learn the tools and techniques you need. Their greatness can inspire you to ask difficult questions. Their wins spur self-assessment. Their honesty can remind you that little steps and a slow start is what is needed until answers become clear. Their bravery and fearlessness can spark your own leap into the unknown.

    Extraordinary individuals provide an outside window into your own work. If bridged properly, these relationships will lead you to goals you have yet to dream of.

    Forget comparisons. Use the gifts of others as a personal springboard, and align yourself with those you admire as you continue to polish your own story. Delight in the company of those who push you.

  • Daily choices

    The choices we make impact much more than our day:

    • conversations we have
    • magazines we read
    • apps we open
    • moments we check Facebook
    • meetings we participate in
    • time we set aside to create
    • phone calls we answer
    • emails we send
    • the moment we power off
    • the times we say no

    Set priorities with care. They influence your destiny.

  • You belong in this room.

    Don’t sell yourself short. You aren’t to be ordered about. You are here as a professional. Everyone else is as uncertain as you are. They may even be more afraid. Yet they’ve made the decision to not let any of this get in their way. They’ve made the choice to show up and be present, regardless of insecurity and fear.

    You have a choice to make. The first few times might be a show. You may have to talk yourself into it. Once you’re there, you may whisper hurtful names to yourself — pretender, phony, fake. Ignore that voice. Slowly, gradually, that whisper will fade and be replaced with an unmistakeable assertion. A knowing, a conviction, a sense of belonging that will lead you to places you had never before considered. Tolerate discomfort.

    The journey often starts with a moment of anxiety, terror, self doubt, even despair. It’s temporary. In time, you’ll look back and see how far you’ve come. The decision to put yourself in the game will become easier, and the unknown will appear less of a threat. Accept the invitation.

    Claim your space. Believe that you can hold your own. Ask questions that can’t be avoided. Demonstrate why you must be reckoned with. You must show up.

    If you’re not in the room, we can’t listen, we can’t watch your magic, and you won’t get any better. Tell us — show us — why should we stop here, with you, and not continue on.

  • New and different

    Different experiences are necessary for growth. Without adventure, how can you see the world in a new way?

    You’re not expected to like everything. The important thing is that you do, acquire more information, and grow.

    Have you placed yourself in a new situation recently?

  • It’s easy to hide

    We’re exposed now more than ever before.

    Our steps are easily trackable, our buying decisions traceable with the click of a mouse. We document our lives on film for our friends and the world to see. We post our professional accomplishments on open social networks. We look for validation and response from what we show the world, from names printed in magazines to recognition in the neighborhood coffee stop.

    Yet we can hide like never before.

    We have unlimited options to conceal our true identity, forsaking vulnerability and connection for a clean, manufactured image. With so many distractions for us to choose from, we can hide from ourselves, busying our focus from concentrating on things that matter and topics we know to be pertinent.

    Our priorities become lost to routine and inefficiency.

    It’s easier to distract ourselves than sit down and get to the real, gritty work.

    It’s easy to check email and Facebook regularly.
    It’s hard to focus on making big things happen.

    It’s easy to sprinkle business cards around a room.
    It’s hard to develop meaningful rapport.

    It’s easy to leave a meeting without speaking up.
    It’s difficult to put your ideas on the line.

    It’s easy to attend a party not having learned anyone’s name.
    It’s difficult to make intentional introductions.

    It’s easy to speak on a panel.
    It’s hard to create an experience that changes the way someone feels.

    It’s easy to manufacture the same item over and over again.
    It’s difficult to create a once-in-a-lifetime work of art.

    Seth Godin recently reminded me of questions I can’t afford not to answer:

    Is this making me uncomfortable, pushing me to grow? Or am I hiding?

    Each day we have a series of choices that, when combined, contribute to the story we tell ourselves and the world.

  • 7 ways to up your game by meeting people

    1. Connect with other industries.

    Spending time with professionals who excel in industries other than your own can help you discover new approaches in your own line of work. Step outside of your immediate field, identify transferrable skills, and work together on complementary initiatives.

    2. Discuss things that aren’t familiar.

    Learn new terms and expand your horizons by venturing from typical conversation starters. A learned tidbit may assist you in building rapport with a future business partner.

    3. Ask questions.

    The right questions can turn a mundane introduction into a lasting impression, and most people are eager to talk about themselves to those willing to listen. Ask open ended questions about thoughtful topics to get the ball rolling.

    4. Spend time outside of the office.

    Shared experiences in unexpected environments can build relationships in unique ways. People often display varying characteristics depending on the situation; you may need to encounter an individual in many settings before identifying their true character.

    5. Get to know their priorities.

    An individual’s priorities can be a valuable window into their life. See if you can determine what contributes to their success and drives their work.

    6. Unite through humanity.

    Be forthright about your challenges. Moments of authenticity and vulnerability can be scary, but they connect us on a much deeper level than superficial pleasantries. Dare to be open; the response might surprise you.

    7. Brainstorm.

    Use networking opportunities as brainstorming sessions. Explore new ideas. Find news ways to look at old situations. Help each other. Innovate and create together. A stranger can offer a removed perspective to obstacles you regularly encounter.