As entrepreneurs and creators, our passion lies in influencing the world around us. This often leaves us ignoring necessary inner work and instead cloaking ourselves in perfectionism, looking outward for solutions, ideas, and validation. But many of us need to realize that our most important work will be inner work. This is the work we do to become the most aligned, authentic version of ourselves and tackle any inner demons holding us back. Only in this way can we make the impact that we desire on the world.
It’s hard to be with someone who doesn’t want to be with himself.
Laird Hamilton
Overcome Yourself
Big-wave surfer Laird Hamilton was drinking two or more bottles of wine a night. He could still get up early the next morning, do an intense workout, and then surf. He has said that he did the 5 am workouts as a way to prove to others and himself that he could carry on as normal.
Miserable because he did not have control over his drinking, Laird leveraged his shame and guilt as a punishing way to push himself forward.
Even though he could still do rigorous workouts and surf each day, his relationship with his wife, Gabby, had become tenuous. He became concerned, too, as to what he was modeling for his children.
And so, 17 years ago, Laird quit drinking cold turkey and reclaimed himself. He did the inner work and finally did what his mother always told him to do when he was growing up—be true to himself.
As entrepreneurs and creators, we have a passion and drive to create positive ripples in the azure waters of the world. We want to effect great change as well as influence better outcomes for individuals and society overall. We seek opportunities to change the conversation, lift others up, and help catalyze transformation that heals and inspires.
To do this work, though, we have work to do at home first. That is, we have tidying work to do within the walls of the home—of us—our minds, bodies, and souls.
Novelist Fyodor Dostoyevsky said, “If you want to overcome the whole world, overcome yourself.”
How do you overcome yourself? Do the inner work.
As you think about your daily habits and rituals, are there cringe-worthy moments when you review the reel of your life choices? If so, do you intuit these habits are holding you back, keeping you stuck in a weird doom loop that minimizes your brain power and effectiveness? Do you feel as if you are two steps forward and three back as you chase your biggest dreams?
Is your body exhausted, your soul weary, and your mind hot with guilt?
We can come home to ourselves. Inner work begins with slowing down our minds and reminding ourselves that we are enough: “While in the moment I didn’t know exactly how to make that happen, Paris had gifted me potent clues for what would get me closer to inner radiance and the ability to soften into remembering what I craved. I intuited that it had something to do with moving the body so that the mind rests and allows stillness; that it is important to open up and place ourselves in front of beauty, see with new eyes, and curate a beautiful mind.” —excerpt from my book, BUOYANT
Let’s do a brief exercise.
7 Steps to Kickstart Your Inner Work
1) Take a gentle, 10-minute walk.
2) Get out your journal and set a timer for 4 minutes.
3) Ask yourself the following: What is in my way right now? Is it a habit? A mindset that keeps me seated and stuck? A behavior that I have unknowingly set to “repeat” that keeps me in a loop of cruel starts and defeated stops?
4) Freewrite without censoring yourself or lifting your pen from the page. Write like the wind, and be honest.
5) Review your notes. Let the wisdom of your authentic self speak up. What most needs to change right now?
6) Next, ask yourself who you know who has championed this very thing that is currently holding you back. Who would be an amazing Sherpa who could guide you out of hell?
7) Ask for help. Know this: those who have walked through their own life fires with success tend to be delighted to pay their knowledge and experience forward, so don’t be shy.
If you are not quite ready to approach someone for help, you can begin your journey to overcoming yourself with my free toolkit. Download it and use it as a way to gain clarity and comfort.
When you are ready to reach out to someone, find your Sherpa, share your journal notes, and begin curating a beautiful mind.
The work we do within impacts the work we do without. By overcoming ourselves, we position ourselves to overcome the challenges of the world, creating positive change that extends far beyond our immediate sphere.
We can embrace this journey with courage and determination, knowing that the better we become, the more happiness and success we will enjoy. And in turn, the better we can serve the world.
Leveraging Your Best Energy
A new episode of The Courage to Live a Big Life is live! Enjoy the 8-minute episode, “Leveraging Your Best Energy,” here.
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