If mindset is important. Who sets yours? Are you inspired to constantly develop your mind in order to develop you and your business – or do you depend on others to inspire you to do that?
This was the topic at my Cross Coaching™ event March 25, 2015. My intention was to determine if members wisely listened to their own inner guidance and intuition and were self-inspired, relied heavily on the writings of others, or a conscious balance of both. The debate led to the predictable and, thankfully, the unpredictable – something I always strive to create in these sessions!
Mark began by reminding us that garnering inspiration from others in the form of daily readings, for example, can make us better and better at inspiring others to be better. We may then intentionally inspire others or happen to by our continually inspiring actions and achievements.
Rita , another loyal member, suggested that perhaps simply loving what you do is inspiration enough! How many people do you know that are not only inspired enough, but courageous enough to dare to pursue something they love? We have quite a few in our Cross Coaching™ sessions!
Jerry prompted us to remember that we are not our product – whatever it is we are selling. Too many people attend ‘networking’ events to promote their product, or service, and forget to present themselves first. Quite uninspiring! The only ‘product’ others will trust enough to buy – before they buy what you are selling – is you. One of Cross Coaching’s main themes!
Now the members begin to dig into the topic! They return to the core of most of my sessions. Posture. Presence. Presentation. Know where you stand; how you want to present that, then present your business. Too many people practice their presentation and miss the first two steps. Costly mistake!
So to pursue the ‘you are the product’ element of the debate further – who are you? If you are the ‘product’ who happens to have a product, or service, to present then what are you a product of? Are you an inspiration? A positive, optimistic, thinker? Did you become that way because you read inspirational positive thinking books? What’s your mindset a result of? Did you influence your thinking or did others? Are you inspired to change your thinking because you know to, dare to, and then seek out books and friends to support that behavior; or are you inspired to change your thinking because of a book, movie or friend? Which is better? Can they both lead to the you that you seek that can better serve others, or is one better at discovering the product called you?
The debate continues! Cross Coaching™ members realize the importance of inspiring your self by embracing your own milestones and successes. This stokes the fire and turns up the heat of the creative crucible created from the energy and input members contribute. We all tend to not be inspired by our own results! Accomplishments that others were inspired by, as they watched us reach them – we discount! We were rarely encouraged, when young, to be so self-proclaiming! Perhaps our elders thought we were unable to balance self-confidence against arrogance?
Have we, as adults, switched off the light we should be shining on ourselves and our inspiring results? Taught, too often, to look to others (the parent, teacher, manager or team) for inspiration and motivation, have we forget to look to ourselves?
Gabe awarded me the title of ‘Mental Chiropractor’ because my Cross Coaching™ sessions help others adjust their thinking! Perhaps we should all adjust how we are influenced and inspired by asking first who does influence and inspire us? Do I? Can I? Dare I? Or do we, by default, look first to others? I say, first adjust and position your own mental backbone – or mindset – then seek out others to support that inner self-inspired philosophy. Now you are inspired by a core posture on which you then stand and can develop values, character and other behaviors that truly represent you!
All members ‘present’ were charged by the chemistry ‘present’ when this tangent from today’s topic targeted their mental real estate. It hit a bulls eye that stirred them to consider who they are inspired by. Can you be self-aware enough to inspire your self and therefore manage your own degree of engagement when you paint the canvas called your life plan; or do you – by default – depend on people and what they put on paper, or podcast, to inspire you?
The term “self-improvement” and the huge industry ‘developed’ around it may negate the term itself if you don’t actually improve your “self” and instead invest in what others inspire you to think your improved self should be thinking! Your Mental Chiropractor at work again; inviting you to adjust and re-think how you think and ask why you think the way you do and hold the posture you hold.
Yes, there is value in a balance of both being stirred and inspired by others and by your own thoughts, results and accomplishments. Tip too far either way and you may be either too self-reliant or too reliant on others for inspiration. Know what fuels what drives you to complete the life plan you have sketched on that canvas you are now striving to colorfully fill!
The influence of the other big “Aha” members had about discounting how self-inspired we can be, led Leslie to remind us how messages given to us by society when we set out on a career, or to start a business, can deflate what inspires us. The verbal obstacles placed in front of us by people critical of our belief in our ability to succeed can discourage us even if that is not their intention!
So, we return to the core matter again. Knowing your core! Leslie shared her example. She knows that she intends to deliver her talents and beliefs to the world and in return others will reward her for the value she provides. Strong core. Inspiring! Better than any “elevator speech” delivered with far less passion and clarity than she has for her business.
Greg confirmed that, yes, we are the product and how well do we know it? He is a regular member of Cross Coaching™ because he loves how it reminds us to always come back to our core. Our self! It’s true. People buy you. Not what you are selling. The pace of life continues to increase and so few of us dare to take the time to be re-inspired by what we discover about ourselves.
Get inspired to inspire yourself! Don’t compare yourself to others. Declare yourself to others. First, take time to ‘mine your mind’ and listen to what it reveals when you invest in your mental real estate again. Discover the ground you want to claim and drive a stake into it to set the posture and position that inspires you enough to maintain it as your mental backbone. Now you can lean on the writings and results of others to support what inspires you to continue to be inspired and better develop your self, your business and your community!
Peter Gibson. Realtor, Speaker, Author, Founder of Cross Coaching™
www.mycrosscoaching.com
Twitter @mentalRE
Wonderful blog post Mr. Gibson. Great way to recap and to further spread that energy out into the world. We appreciate all you do!