I used to live a well-behaved life, a narrative ingrained in me from a very age. Though I broke free at times, the dominant narrative always lured me back into the fold. Today, I can say that I’m proud of my journey because it is a testament to individual power and potential, both for myself and my clients.
What I’ll call the doormat strategy seemed empowering, a comforting assurance that I was doing what was “right.” Yet, it was a falsehood perpetuated by people who believed it and needed me to believe it too. It suggested that following the rules ensures safety, but in reality, it doesn’t. It claimed that choosing from pre-selected options is freedom, yet it isn’t. It insisted that we can’t handle stress, anxiety, and risk, but we can. It argued that we lack the power to walk away from mediocrity, but we do. It argued that our past defines us, but it doesn’t.
The truth is that taking the challenging, yet liberating risk of being a trailblazer offers safety because it’s how we build confidence.
- The trailblazer strategy is rooted in a growth mindset. I witness that am different today than I was yesterday.
- It lives in my choice to set my own standards and make a plan to boldly live them out.
- It involves taking courageous steps, big and small, to build confidence.
- It prioritizes self-love over self-criticism—that relentless inner critic!
- It is grounded in reality—examining what’s truly going on and deciding if it’s an asset or an obstacle.
- It’s about being the odd one out sometimes—the renegade who is “too much.”
- It is knowing that our growth involves the brain and the nervous system.
- The trailblazer strategy means we don’t go it alone. We surround ourselves with other trailblazers because like attracts like. In case you haven’t heard it recently, you are a trailblazer. I know because you are here.