With anything we do in life, there are always going to be challenges along the way. The bigger our endeavors, the bigger the challenges we face. When we strive for a life of true greatness and success, we are met with equally great obstacles to negotiate our way through. We need to prepare ourselves with this mindset. Being ready to face the big hurdles in front of us when we are pursuing bold and forward thinking enterprises is how we achieve our goals. The new ideas that are born from great aspirations for the future are never attained easily. Not everyone will see our vision for the tremendous potential that it is. We will need to face the doubts and limited thinking of others and stick to our convictions with confidence and compassion. This is the way to achieve true greatness in our lives and in business.
Know thy self:
One challenge we sometimes face is ourselves. It is hard to have a clear vision for the future when we lack a clear vision of our own selves. We need to understand what we think and believe, about our lives, about our businesses, and about those around us. What are our beliefs about the goals we are pursuing? What do we think our colleagues and our business leaders think and feel about our goals? Are our ideas in alignment with those we are working with and the direction of our companies? These are important questions to answer. Without a perspective on what we think, we lack the clarity necessary for success. Knowing who we are and what we believe, understanding the perspective of our co-workers and the directions our companies take, these are the avenues towards improvement; for ourselves and for those we lead. Ultimately, this understanding is the starting point for great successful accomplishments in the future.
Does it feel like nobody really understands your challenges?
Great vision and forward-thinking that propels us towards immense heights of achievement will not always be met with understanding. Many people will not only fail to share our vision for the future, they won’t even understand why we see it as the future, or why we’d want that future in the first place. Reluctance to embrace new thinking and new or innovative ways of doing things is a common obstacle great minds and leaders have to face. Knowing how to navigate through the “nay-sayers” and address their doubting concerns, without losing sight of our own goals and vision is part of the problem that is ahead of us. As innovative leaders and thinkers of the future we need to accept that we will confront reluctant players. Helping them to see and understand our direction is part of our challenge. If we aren’t reaching a common ground of understanding, it is very hard to inspire motivation in others to help us achieve our goals. Great leaders recognize this challenge and understand the importance of conquering these types of obstacles in the way of their success.
You are not alone.
Sometimes when we are confronted with obstructions towards forward motion in achieving our goals, it is easy to feel alone. We may often feel as though we are charging up the hill of success dragging a weight of reluctant momentum behind us. So many of my clients have experienced these same kinds of feelings. We often find ourselves laughing with one another over how I am able to complete their sentences before they have fully expressed their frustration. Or I’ll share a poignant story they can relate to about another client who has faced similar challenges. Realizing we are not alone in our endeavors toward leading others to greatness can be a comfort to us as we face our own hurdles of triumph along the way.
Peace is not a place but a journey.
Finding peace in life and in business is something we can spend our lives pursuing. When we find that peace, we have a continual drive to maintain what we have found. What we discover along the way is that in our pursuit to hold on to those feelings of peace, we actually create the peace we are seeking to keep. Maintaining an existence with a peaceful mindset is not a fixed spot or achieved from one problem solved. It is a spirit of being that is culminated through practice, focus and intention. It is a state of mind cultivated from continual thinking and actions that stem from a place of peace. It is the journey towards peace, not the one solved problem, or goal accomplished, or milestone met that creates a peaceful existence. It is a lifetime of committed focus in that direction that is required for achieving the peaceful lives we desire.
Loci of Control:
Peace is a choice. Loci of Control means assessing what we have control over, in our own lives, and the world at large. We can control our own actions, and the words we use to express ourselves. We can even control our own thoughts to a certain degree. What we cannot control are someone else’s perceptions, or the actions that others take. We aren’t able to control the weather or keep most traffic accidents from happening. What we can do is influence someone else’s actions or decision, or alter their perceptions by sharing our own. This is about the extent of our control over things. Knowing the limits of our own control and accepting those limitations, this is the way towards a peaceful existence. The Serenity Prayer says it best, “Grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference.” Though this is a plea people often make to be granted by some God or “higher Power”, it is also an intention we can set for ourselves on our lives and in business. Know what and whom you have an influence over and don’t waste precious time attempting to win over something or someone who’s immovable towards your way of thinking. Maximize the realm of control you have in life and let the rest go. This is the choice for peace. This is what understanding Loci of Control means.
Brad Borkhuis is the founder of Epitome Coaching and Consulting and author of “Eye Of The Storm: Leading From Peace When All Hell Is Breaking Loose”. After facing a $700,00 loss he turned his flailing family business into a $50 million thriving company. Today he coaches business owners and managers on how to lead from peace, no matter the storm they’re facing. Connect with him at http://leadingfrompeace.com