I Came To Live Out Loud!

I had this on a postcard hanging next to my desk for years. I loved it because it was the kernel that was planted that I need to be my authentic self. I just did not realize it at the time, but it was still empowering to me to see it every day, all day. I was reminded to do what I wanted to do and how I wanted to do it. We all think that when we have our business, but the reality of our environments nips away at individuality until we become robots or zombies getting through each day without any personality.

I look back and am thankful for the years of corporate experience I had at some of the world's best firms. I learned so much, worked with excellent people, and accomplished great things. But what I realize now is that I never fit in. I was smart, polished, and driven, but I was not the uptight drone that was ideal for those environments. The typical corporate kiss-butt who is so generic and inoffensive that they fail to have personality but are respected and liked because there is basically nothing not to like about a voided personality. And I triggered these insecure people, which made me a target (I wrote a blog post about this and will again). Being plain, non-impactful and generic was the desired state for an employee.

But in these environments, I also found my tribe. The "misfits" who were high performers/stars, who had a zest for life, and who could not follow the narrow set of rules. We were told we were not "one of them", but we were leaders in our own right, opening markets, expanding clients, developing new service lines, etc. because we were alive and encouraged each other to think broadly and take action. Staff sought us out as we gave hope and excitement to opportunities. And we were able to laugh and enjoy our work, despite long hours, never-ending deadlines, and demanding clients with high stake projects. This was truly a collection of elite colleagues where we built each other up, learned, collaborated, and remain friends even today.

These days, as I grow my coaching practice, I sometimes fall into being too timid and not taking a risk because of what "others" may think. I find myself playing small. Then I snap out of it -- I hear Cher in Moonstruck - - and jump back to being a full Libby. And being me is an extraordinary thing. My true creativity comes through, my ideas flow, and I am an unstoppable force of action. This is my authentic self. I am not loud, but I am forceful. I am actually quite quiet and speak only when I have something to say. So when I see "I came to live out loud", I remember who I am and what I do best.

My authenticity was tested when I took out an ad on a university basketball schedule. It will hang in bars, restaurants, stores, etc. It was something fun to do and will get some visibility for my coaching as there will be radio spots and social media posts too. I saw the ad developed by the marketing company and it was boring, cookie-cutter, and not me. It would never be seen or remembered. I developed my own ad and circulated it to some friends and family for input. Too many said no, just use my business card. That was the safe bet and exactly what I did not want to do. My ad would be lost in the mess that is this schedule. My marketing guy was all for my bold approach, as it stood out and we figured that it could not hurt and could only help. That seemed like a good risk. So I used my bold ad and we'll see how that goes. Anyone who is offended is not my ideal client. I hope to spur conversation with this ad and get visibility, that will lead to clients. I'll keep you posted. BTW-- the image above is the ad that will appear on the schedule.

But the lesson is that our business is a reflection of ourself. If you are extremely creative, you will use that creativity in your business. If you are conservative, then you will be hesitant to take bold actions or certain risks. If you are under duress, it will show in your business. Who you are/how you are feeds through what you do and how you present yourself. So knowing your strengths, values, limitations, and goals is critical to structuring and growing your business. It was not until I let loose that my genius started to flow. I took off the blinders and opened my mind. Then the ideas started to come. I stopped worrying about what others think and started focusing on what I want to create and how I want to live. Not everyone will agree with me, but that is not my problem. In being my best self, I am able to give my best to others.

I am not a radical, but I am empowered and self-assured. The skill here is to remember this and act from this place of strength and this power. It is a skill that is honed every day through my self-talk, actions, and conversations. And you, too, can figure out who you are, how this affects your business for growth or limitations, and then build on the power that is you.

If you want some of this Libby magic, give me a call or email at [email protected]. We will create your own best self. To schedule a complementary consultation via our website, go to the Appointments page. I look forward to growing with you.add