For the renegades, the dreamers, the crazy ones… let’s change the world

My girl went to a birthday party at the weekend. It had an ice cream theme, and there were games – pin the cherry on the ice cream – and an ice cream-shaped piñata, and, of course, plenty of ice cream to eat, with just about everything except cherries to put on top.

There was also a photo booth.

The girls were piling on top of one another inside and making funny faces, and then giggling at seeing the printed photos moments later.

My darling wanted me to have photos with her, and hold up a cut-out of an ice cream truck on a stick to be in the photo too. While we were waiting for our turn next to the red curtain, the birthday girl’s dad came over to tell me that he’d built the photo booth himself. He built it!

I thought that was a very cool achievement, and I told him so. “It’s just a computer”, he said, like it was no big deal.

To put it into perspective, it looked like a real deal photo booth, with the big black box, red curtain door, a seat to sit on, the buttons to push inside the booth to make the real deal camera work… and the countdown on the monitor so you know to get ready to smile because the camera’s about to click and take a photo. There was a printer outside the booth to print the photos.

While I knew the birthday girl’s dad was proud of his creation, because he’d wanted to share with me that it was his, he was also quite nonchalant.

“Just a computer?”, I said. “That’s amazing you did that. I imagine you use it for all sorts of special occasions, like birthdays and Christmas and other parties.”

“Yes,” he said, beaming.

There were a few things that occurred to me, that might be of interest to you if you care about making a difference:

When we’re playing to our strengths and using our gifts in our own unique way, it’s never a big deal for us because it comes so easily… and is a big deal, and often extraordinary and inspiring, for others who witness and experience us in that.

I like to use the example of my girl standing on stage singing a solo. Big deal for her? Nah, she’s just doing what she loves and what she knows is hers to do. A big deal for everyone else in the audience who’s thinking, “Far out, look at her confidence, how does she do that? I couldn’t!” Yes. Absolutely.

Life becomes easier when we’re being ourselves, owning it, and not trying to fit into a box of what or how we think we should be.

It starts young. Some of us stay contorted in those boxes all our lives. Others break out, determined to find our purpose and live it full out.

Leadership is rife with what’s right, wrong, good, bad. Wise leaders have learned that, in order to be their best, they need to forge their own path and trust themselves and what they have to offer. Always, it’s a path travelled with the goal of making a difference for those they can best serve. Always, it’s about leading the way.

For the renegades, the innovators, those who see beyond, the dreamers, the crazy ones who believe we can change the world… let’s do this.

Let’s do what it takes to be our best – to understand and own the unique ways we were born to serve, to inspire and lead, in the most powerful ways we can.

Let’s stop buying into everything that’s wrong while we watch on and feel helpless. Let’s take action now. Being our best is the biggest contribution we can make.

Let’s be the leaders we were born to be.

How will you play your part? How will you start?

If you stopped making excuses, what would you do? Bravely share your message with a larger audience? Quit your job? Launch your business? Remove the biggest obstacle you know you have? Put your hand up instead of hiding in the corner?

If you need guidance, I am so here for you.

PS I’m so inspired by those who are stepping in and up for The Inspire Code: a workshop program to help you discover and own the ways YOU were born to powerfully inspire and lead (regardless of your current job title). Expect more confidence, new sources of inspiration for your life and work, greater presence and resilience… and so much more ease. And, much less holding back.

Join me. All the details are right here.

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