Why I am no longer asking for permission…
My mantra for this season:
Stop asking for permission.
Anything worthwhile, unique, or impactful that I have accomplished in my life has been tied to moments when I did not ask for permission to act on my belief.
I didn’t ask the world if I was good enough to be published. Conventional wisdom would say, try your work out for some years, go to school, and once you’ve proven yourself, go for it.
Instead, I heard it, saw it, believed it, and acted on that belief before anyone could tell me otherwise. And when the challenges came, I dug my heels in and found another way to get to where I wanted to go.
When I wanted to become a professional speaker, I didn’t ask anyone if I had something to offer, or if my experience, thoughts, and delivery were worth it. Instead, I built a website, curated a talk, and offered it to the world.
When I wrote a letter to the CEO of a company I worked for to express my concerns about the noticeable silence on the racial reckoning that was at our literal doorstep, I didn’t ask anyone if that would be appropriate; I just did it in a way that was respectful and potent enough to require a response.
All of these bold actions produced great results not just for me, but for those around me.
When I have failed, it has largely been because of my uncanny ability to be a serial overthinker. I can think for me, you, and everyone in between. I will think through the “what ifs” and “I wish they woulds” until I’ve either independently beefed up the solution into something far too complex or watered it down into some version that is universally acceptable and devoid of all potency.
Or worse…
I convince myself it’s not worth starting at all.
We cannot let this happen.
This next part of life calls for executing on the vision and bringing others on board… not throwing the vision overboard.
Are you a fellow overthinker, permission seeker, or consensus builder?
Accomplishing meaningful results in this next chapter means…
- No more asking “What are your thoughts” before we act
- Knowing that soliciting feedback during the infancy stages leads to aborting the mission
- Ensuring we have others evaluate our results, not our process
- Letting others’ opinions (should you get them) be information and not requirements
I don’t know about you, but ME… I’m going to be acting up this season! 😏 I hope you are too.
I'm rooting for you Reader!
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Hi! I'm Nikki.
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