We all want to have an impact on the world– whether it is to have children and see them thrive past our lifetime, to contribute our gifts and talents to organizations that acknowledge and reward us, or to help by donating time, effort, or money to make the world a better place.
Yet sometimes we can feel powerless: like the world with its issues and problems are just too huge to think about, nevertheless do something about it.
Sometimes it’s about not having enough time or money. Other times it’s that when you pick a side or choose to do something – someone else is telling you how you are wrong. Other times it is about being scared to tell people what you really think because being judged has a real impact on you mentally, emotionally, or even on your livelihood.
So how does anyone get closer to the possibilities of fulfilling this yearning – to have an impact on the world, in the face of all these hurdles?
As Archimedes*, an ancient Grecian mathematician and inventor, once said: “Give me a lever long enough and a fulcrum on which to place it, and I shall move the world.”
In response I say: let authenticity be the fulcrum to move your inner and outer worlds.
The inner world is your internal mental and emotional state. The outer world is the physical place where you exist with other people, living beings, and things.
When I interviewed and researched authentic high achievers I saw that two things were needed to impel impact.
One thing is motivation – what are you driven by? In a world full of noise, scary news, responsibilities, and financial stress, what is the fuel that drives you towards something, instead of away from something.
Another thing is capacity – how are you doing what you are doing? How are you playing to your strengths and limitations?
You yearn for change and want these fantastic giant leaps that will bring about the change you want in the world. But the gap between where you are and where you want to be is too vast.
This is where the practice of the smallest next step comes in – taking the smallest next step within your current capacity to move forward.
Over time with enough practice, capacity then can evolve from baseline (what you currently can do) to adaptive capacity. Adaptive capacityrelies on changing from depending on mainly technical skills to developing relational skills to get things done.
An example is: you were hired into an entry level job because 1- you have certain technical skills or 2- you are willing to learn these tech skills. Yet as you get more responsibilities and are promoted, you now manage projects, people, or teams. Basically you have to get things done through other people, which requires deeper relational skills.
Changing capacity requires a grounded sense of humility – to accept that you are unskilled at something, to learn new things, and to know you cannot and do not have to do things alone. Another type of self authenticity.
So you want to have an impact on this physical world yet you don’t know how.
Start with self authenticity – be open and willing to explore your inner motivations and capacity and then use that as a fulcrum to create impact on the outer world.
Let authenticity be the fulcrum to move your inner and outer worlds.
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Calling all emerging women leaders in the Philadelphia area:
Join me, Karen Machin – Financial Advisor, and Jessica DeJesus – Tax Advisor for “Women Empowered: Inspiring Authenticity and Building Financial Confidence in Emerging Leaders”a workshop + networking event on October 29th 6 pm.
In this 2 hour event near the Jenkintown SEPTA train station you will learn about the different career phases you will encounter, the authenticity hurdles and money considerations you will face in each phase, ways to deal with the hurdles and considerations, and network with like-minded women who want to support each other.
Space is limited to 35 people so please RSVP right away! If you registered and then are unable to attend then please let us know to allow space for others.
RSVP now: http://bit.ly/4devNFX