The road to success is never a cakewalk. There will be times when you feel completely overwhelmed with doubt, fear, anger, or regret. You will second guess yourself and your plans. The goals you set for yourself will seem too big while you will feel too small, too weak to surmount them. Just knowing these feelings are bound to come up can be comforting but when suddenly tossed in the throws of an emotional storm even the best leaders may break down, give in – or worse: give up.
The great and powerful earth rotates through seasons. All of life, including what makes “you” up inside, is a series of endless cycles. There is a fantastic book by Og Mandino called The World’s Greatest Salesman in which the author describes all of nature as a circle of moods. As inevitable as winter gives way to spring, anger and fear will give way to wonder and hope as our emotions cycle naturally. But here’s the trick that very few of us ever master: you can learn to make your own inner weather.
Lay solid, steadfast, honest, mighty groundwork for achieving your goals so that even when an emotional storm hits, it may nick your siding a little bit, it may even bust in a window once in a while, but it will not rock your foundation. Here are some exploratory questions to ask yourself to find out if your core foundation is built on solid conviction (or just a pile of sand):
Do you believe in what you want to achieve?
Are you convinced, in the deepest recesses of your soul, that you are capable?
How do you define success in this moment?
Why is this goal so important to you?
Who will benefit when you succeed?
What will you NOT stand for; NOT accept?
Are you using the vocabulary of a winner? Or do the very words you choose defeat you?
Write your personal and professional mission statement. Speak about it out loud so you can feel and taste the words in your mouth. When you say the words aloud do they roll off of your tongue with ease and is your head held high? Or when you speak what you believe to be your truth do the words feel heavy or silly as they twist your tongue and reluctantly stumble out of your mouth? When you know you have found your truth and mission you will be able to speak it, write it, smell it, shout it, roll in it, and give praise and thanks for it – no matter the season, no matter your surroundings.
If you don’t believe you, no one will. Weathering the inevitable storms of life with skill starts long before the thunder and lightening begin to strike. Start today to build an honest inner strength by knowing and trusting yourself first. Nature cycles through seasons at a certain passive pace. But we, as living breathing human beings alive and leading, have the power to make our own weather patterns within ourselves!
The next time you feel overwhelmed by doubt, fear, regret, or anger, feel them from a wiser place. Know these are a natural part of your inner weather pattern that will pass. Do not use them as an excuse to give in or give up. Do not let them snatch your truth by abandoning the goals you set with courage in times of calm. These storms may test you but you are stronger than emotions. Built on your personal truths, your core is the eye of the storm, unscathed by the tornadoes of life.
