Leadership – Sharpen
Cut Your Own Path
Our Manifesto says…
‘Spit on the smooth paved asphalt and strike out, machete in hand, to hack a trail no one has walked before. Choose the path of most resistance, tell all doubters to shut the hell up, and keep crushing through the brambles so others can follow in your wake.‘
It’s time to step up to the plate and swing for the fences. Leadership is where your 3rdNut really kicks into high gear.
What’s that you say? You don’t need to worry about leadership because you don’t have a tribe of your own to tend to? Allow us to burst that bubble right here and now. Leadership doesn’t start once there are people behind you. It’s just the opposite–no one will follow until you’re already a leader. That’s because, similar to integrity, leadership is really about what you do–the decisions you make, the actions you take-when no one else is even in the room.
The good news? Leadership is actually what you’ve been working toward all along by engaging in these Proofs. In fact, continually working to improve yourself is one of the most sure-fire ways to Earn Yours when it comes to the title of Leader. Read on for more ideas.
“If your actions inspire others to dream more, learn more, do more and become more, you are a leader.” – John Quincy Adams
PRACTICE THE ART OF DISCOMFORT.
Comfort. The mere sound of the word makes the collective 3rdNut lip curl in a snarl. In many areas of life, we’re taught to go to great lengths to remain comfortable. We form habits and routines, drive the same route to work each day, spend time with the same people, and order the same triple vente latte with soy milk and a dash of cinnamon from the same Starbucks. Anything outside this circle of familiarity feels uncomfortable.
Why is comfortable a taboo word in our tribe? Because it infers that things aren’t changing, that YOU aren’t changing. Change, and its trusted sidekick discomfort, are a must if you’re going to grow. As a leader, growth is just a given. So you may as well start practicing until you feel comfortable being uncomfortable. When you do, people will start falling in line behind you.
SEEK ROLE MODELS.
Badass that you are, there may not even be another human alive who has set out to conquer the mountain you’re climbing. Since no one else is ahead of you, the road can seem lonely at times. That’s why it’s important to seek out inspiration from others who have etched out their own courageous path. Their new perspective could get you around a snarling obstacle. The stories they tell might just provide the extra ounce of encouragement needed when failure strikes.
FIND SUPPORT.
So we just said there will be missteps. It’s part of the process, and if you’re not careful it can eat away at the fragile little tree of ambition you’ve worked so hard to grow. That’s where a little support can come to the rescue. What’s that? You mean you don’t have to go it alone to be a true 3rdNutter? Quite the opposite. You need to be smart enough to use the resources at your disposal, and a voice of encouragement is one of the most critical. So find a person who believes in what you’re doing, and when the misstep happens, let them remind you of how far you’ve come, and why what you are doing is so awesome. And remember the 3rdNut tribe has got your back too.
ACTIONS TO TAKE THIS WEEK.
- Pinpoint an area in your life where you feel comfortable, and explore ideas for how you could push yourself from comfort into growth. Then start pushing that pain point so the growth pains begin.
- Every day this week, pick something to do that is outside your comfort zone,