I am one of those people that will take a flyer on just about anything. 
I have a personal principles and values. If it is legal, moral (my definition), and ethical, I am good to go. It is an attitude that can drive those close to me to distraction.
The first of the ground rules from The Warrior’s Battle Cry is to be bold.
Let’s put this in perspective. For you (read anyone) to do something outside your comfort zone takes self-reflection and action. It is uncomfortable to look back, sideways, and ahead. It means that you have to be honest with yourself. My mother used to say ‘honesty is the best policy’. I am sure that I am not alone when I say that it is easier to be honest with others than it is with one’s self.
Doing something bold means that you have to ‘build a new box’. I can hear my friend and colleague, Lori Silverman, whispering in my ear, “Rather than deferring to the old adage of thinking outside the box, just build a new one”. It is true. In order for you to think outside the box, you have to get in it. If your personal box is too tall, you won’t be able to see the outside world. You will turn inwards and stop innovating, creating, and striving.
Early in my career, I took a major step. It was so far outside my comfort zone that it took me about 6 months to create a habit. I worked with a law enforcement team and was surprised to find out that they made notes on every call, every person that they talked to, and captured everything that happened during their shift. At the end of the week, we were conducting a debrief. As we went around the table, each member had something to contribute that they could ‘defend in court’. When my turn came up, I had nothing that I could definitively say I had accomplished; never mind backing it up with notes.
My first civilian be bold moment was to start journaling. I have journaled every day since that meeting. As I write this blog, March 24th, 2022 is page 21,520. I am about to start a new new journal, the almost completed journal, and the previous one are sitting on my desk waiting for me to review the contents before moving on. I will learn more about myself than you would credit. Each journal is about the successes, failures, deviations, challenges, and celebrations.
Is it easy? No. There is still the odd day when I don’t journal as much as I should or don’t journal at all. Those pages that read ‘intentionally left blank’ are reminders that I let myself down. The worse possible outcome is that I let my team down.
Since that single step, I have tried many new things. Starting my own business certainly qualifies a being bold moment. I still hate oysters but did try them. I still am afraid of falling off tall buildings but I am working on that.
My Rule 1 Challenge for you:
- Identify one thing that you can or should do differently? Keep it focused on a single idea or objective. If you can separate the statement with commas, it is too complicated. Slim it down.
- Determine ‘what does done look like’. In other words, what does success look like to you? Remember, this is about you, no one else. Make the ‘what does done look like’ statement specific.
- Determine 3 – 5 steps that you will take immediately towards achieving success. Keep the number of actions short.
- Determine what celebration or reward you will have when you achieve your goal.
Then, be bold. Take a single step towards achieving your goal. It doesn’t matter whether it is big, small, or audacious. You can share it or not. If you need help from others, you must share it.
Quote of the Week
“Every single success that I have ever had started with a single step.” Sandra Hoskins
“Feel the fear and do it anyway.” Jack Canfield.
