by Amy Slattery
Ok I’ll admit it…I love the X Factor *oh
the shame…
But it did get me thinking about what we
expect our life to become? We live in a
world where thanks to the various media streams we are bombarded with what seem
like overnight success stories (or the chance of overnight lottery wins)…the
high school kid making over $300K trading on his mobile phone, the email app
that went from $0 to $200mil in 18 months, homeless artist now selling sketches
for thousands!
Don’t get me started on the various reality
shows that seem to propel the normal everyday person into a superstar in the
flash of an eye!
However what doesn’t shine like a neon
light are all the hours and hard work along the way, the failures, the risks,
the criticism, dusting yourself off and getting back too it.
When Jodie and I were launching The 7
Effect I was surprised on a lot of corners that well meaning contact “wow your
brave launching a business in this economic climate”, “have you ever run your
own business?”, “what will you do if it doesn’t work out”, “oh yeah I’ve seen
lots of similar business online”.
Well meaning for the most part, but if I
choose to listen to all of those comments with fear I would not be celebrating
the life I live now. We didn’t go into
the business blindly, but it was a risk and we have learnt a lot along the way,
but what didn’t waiver was our confidence that we will make it work and the
worst case if it didn’t work out I’d find another job, or start something new. There are always choices we can make with the
information we are provided with.
So that brings me back to “What is your X
Factor?”
Sometimes we can get a bit caught up in the
fact that you need some superstar hidden talent with a back story to match the
sadness of all of life’s tragedies to have something to offer, that we need to
be ‘different’ to everyone else and have that edge.
Well I strongly believe that is not the
case!
It makes me think of Thomas Edison and his
invention of the light bulb…Edison didn’t actually come up with the whole
concept, his was just the first to be proved practical, and affordable for use
in the home (electric lights already existed on the streets). So he improved on something that was already
in play in the world rather than inventing something completely new.
Of course if you have a completely new idea
then absolutely go for it…but if your innovation is improving on a need then
that can be even better! Check out the
team at www.dreamfarm.com who’s business
is completely on improving everyday kitchen and household appliances!
So if you can do anything today, set aside
10minutes to have a complete brain dump of what your strengths are, what skills
do you have, what do you love to spend time on, if you could change something
what would it be, how do/would people describe you…don’t let yourself get
caught up in any if’s or but’s or negative self talk (play a bit of Eye of the
Tiger just before if you need to).
After the 10 minutes is up give yourself a 5 minute breather, just walk around move around, stretch, star jumps (no judgment here). Then come back to what you have written down.
Highlight 3 points you’ve put down and
flesh them out with 3 actions underneath each that are things you can do to
strengthen that description of yourself.
I.e. you might right down you are great at organizing things and love spending time with family and friends…so you might want a action item to set up a Family BBQ or a girls/boys night out?
Each week keep reviewing and developing from
your initial list are focus on your strengths, skills and what you enjoy doing,
the confidence will come and perhaps even a new idea!
Live life by design!
Amy
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