This post is part of a series outlining the 11 principles detailed in David’s book, Heed Your Call, which helps modern-day heroes (entrepreneurs) integrate their business and spiritual lives.
When we think of heroes, we typically think of legends like Gandhi, whose life was one of service and ultimate sacrifice. He spent twenty years in South Africa working to fight discrimination, and it’s there that he created Satyagraha—his nonviolent form of protest. Back in India, he spent the rest of his life working diligently to both remove British rule from India as well as to better the lives of India’s poorest classes. He gave up basic comforts and committed himself to nonviolently fighting for human rights, ultimately losing his life.
When we think of heroes, we typically think of Gandhi, but entrepreneurs are the modern day heroes. Tweet This Quote
Gandhi will always be a recognized hero, but at Meriwether Group, we truly believe entrepreneurs are the modern day heroes. Just like Gandhi did, entrepreneurs everywhere are heeding their call to bring something new, needed, and potentially transformative into the world. The scale of such change might be vast, but no one person’s destiny is more important than another’s—there are plenty of problems to address.
Every entrepreneur possesses heroic qualities, but they often go undiscovered because of limiting beliefs we develop over time. Growing up, fears and insecurities get embedded into our egos and at times control our lives.
We need our ego because it helps us set the alarm clock, put gas in the car, and balance our checkbook. But, gone unchecked, it can end up running the show and pull us away from the ability to trust in our own innate greatness.
Entrepreneurs everywhere are bringing something new, needed, and potentially transformative into the world. Tweet This Quote
For example, consider a company’s senior management team. You have the founder or CEO, the CTO, COO, Chief Marketing Officer, and more. Each of those roles plays an important part in the overall governance of the company. When you don’t trust your own greatness as the founder or CEO, one of those parts ends up running the show.
Now, consider this as it relates to you personally. You might internally toggle between the parts of yourself that play each of these roles. For example, the COO in you might worry about things like, did we pay the bills? Are the lights on? Is the supply chain working? The CMO in you might stress about social media updates and press releases so more people know about your work. All of these are part of you, but they aren’t you—you’re doing it from a place of ego, insecurity and need.
Trusting in your greatness means listening to these voices that guide us—much like how the different roles guide companies—but do it from the perspective of the chairman of the board listening to your advisors. All of the voices are welcome and needed, but in the end, you make the decision from your place of greatness and leadership as the founder or CEO. Allow yourself to sit with all of the information, and then from a centered place of self-awareness and confidence, you will tap into truth and authenticity that will guide these decisions.
No one person’s destiny is more important than another’s—there are plenty of problems to address. Tweet This Quote
There came a point when Apple’s board told Steve Jobs he was a yippie who didn’t know how to run a Wall Street company, so they kicked him out. Without its founder and visionary, the company nearly went bankrupt. Similarly, you can banish yourself by giving too much air time to the other parts of you, rescinding trust in your greatness as a leader. Consequently, the vision of your brand and company will likely suffer. You have to come back to that deep internal knowledge of “I got this.”
Here are some questions to help tap into your own “I got this” mentality:
- Am I approaching this decision, opportunity, challenge, or even day, from a place of centered self?
- Am I listening to my advisors and the team and digesting what they say?
- Am I allowing myself to make the decision by trusting my own intuition?
- Is my doubt coming from a place of fear, insecurity, need or scarcity?
- Am I stuck on one part instead of conducting a thoughtful review of the whole picture?
Ask yourself these questions, but also give yourself permission to think about them without self-judgment.
When our lives seem most challenging, that is when we are presented with opportunities to find deeper strength within. Tweet This Quote
Another thing to consider is listening to your body. Our minds and egos can lie and trick us, but our bodies can’t. As a major decision or another important occasion approaches, if something doesn’t feel right, it manifests as a headache, tense shoulders, or tightness in your chest. Your body will tell you if something is metabolically or physiologically off and needs to be recalibrated. Take a look and see what might be causing that.
The challenges we face as entrepreneurs are the ones we are ready for. Tweet This Quote
As an entrepreneur, there’s no doubt you will encounter numerous tough decisions and trying situations as you build a company. Joseph Campbell, author of The Hero’s Journey, states that when our lives seem most challenging, that is when we are presented with opportunities to find deeper strength within ourselves. Just like the heroes of history and mythology we know so well, the challenges we face as entrepreneurs are the ones we are ready for.
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