Over 20 days ago, I started this notion of getting very raw online in the hopes of establishing my brand more broadly, to own the online conversation that I wanted to have, and to firmly establish a habit of writing everyday that had been languishing.
I knew that this was going to be an incredibly rewarding surge of content creation, and I welcomed whatever gifts would flow my way without judgement on my part. Okay – let’s be honest – I would attempt to do this without rendering judgement – it is many days a default pattern that I am attempting to reduce. Yet another habit to better manage.
I have started to keep a list of some lessons learned, things unveiled, truths uncovered, conversations that came out of nowhere, and ultimately all of this is greater connections both in terms of sheer volume of people in my life reaching out along with some incredible feedback that I’ll keep private. This stuff that I’m increasingly getting better at tracking likely will be recounted sometime down the line.
I am writing this post on this day to share at least one lesson learned with everyone. While it may seem courageous, naive, silly, unbelievable, overly bragging, helpful, insightful, and motivating – really none of what I am doing matters without some sort of action.
I promise you this – my writing here is part of the action that I have in play at the moment. It is building towards a variety of things that span multiple zones of my life, and the benefits are already being realized by me personally. I’m only a quarter of the way into this, and I know that come August – things will be moving increasingly the way that they need to be for myself and for those closest to me that are part of my inner circle.
I promise you this too – I have learned to let go and to surrender a bunch of things that I thought I had to grip so so tightly in order to make things happen. In many ways, getting brutally open online has demonstrated to everyone around me that being a bit more vulnerable is a freeing and exceptionally authentic exercise. The worry and self doubt that have been anchors continue to be lifted away as I write up my shortcomings, my gifts, and even my uncertainty on things.
I promise you this as well – I do not have as much figured out as you may think. I am in many ways winging this sling of attempts of authentic, vibrant, and engaging content to further refine a slew of options I am exploring at the moment. This uncertainty of exact circumstances related to my desired outcome is both an exercise in faith and in creation. Wonderful petri dish type stuff for all to see.
I promise you this too – I am not the only person here taking action, ideally. I have mentioned to a few close friends since this started, hell even before I started this journey with some other close friends – that you can get moving with just one thing a day. Do one thing that gets you moving in any direction. The direction does not matter, whether it is the right direction or the wrong direction is immaterial – skip the judgy shit – and do something today to get you closer to a better version of yourself.
I have had more than a few of you reach out very privately and share some exceptionally humbling feedback that is many times very encouraging to me personally. Other times, it has been very concerning to me – yet I hold back on prying on some of the feedback, as it is not my business. Many times, I leave the text session or quick phone call or Facebook Messenger or even LinkedIn messenger (is that what they call that thing???) – blown away that you are even reading this stuff. Let alone internalizing pieces of it.
I have had a very select few push me to write more on things that have been discussed in very private conversations, and many times these articles are about tearing down walls of my own. The journey towards not taking myself too seriously, while taking my mission very seriously is on. The balance of tearing down and building up are in play on some of the hardest articles I have authored to date. I truly value the push a few of you, and you know who you are…are providing to keep this rolling fast, hard, and heavy.
So the lesson learned here – none of this matters without action. My action is in the writing, in the clarity it is gifting to me, in the various other benefits this journey is opening up.
My question to you is this – what is your one action a day that you are pursuing, being, reducing, or avoiding each day to get to a better version of yourself?
Love this song from one my favorite bands…takes me back to soccer games and late night bike rides in the bustling metropolis of East Barre, VT in 1983!