The Importance of Finding YOUR Mantra

If you have been on a zoom meeting with me recently...you may have noticed that we finally updated the spare bedroom I have been perched in the corner of for the past 6 years and made it into a proper office. I have to give a lot of credit to my daughter who also found all the right accessories to adorn the cabinets that now make up the background for my video calls. My one contribution to the design was one of those felt picture frames where you can display sayings or inspirational quotes. So the last item to be placed in the cabinet was #YOUmakeadifference.

If you have been following along my social media posting or blogging over the years you have no doubt caught on that I include that hashtag with almost everything I write. I do it with purpose and for three main reasons:

1. The hashtag helps me group together the idea/things that I post. Mind you I don't have the market cornered on this hashtag but as I look through that feed my stuff is disproportionately sprinkled in there
2. It is a reminder to myself that "who we are at all times matters" and that we should never underestimate the impact WE can have on others. This impact often reflects itself in very small ways as we go about our day to day lives. Having said that I have often heard from folks in my network that a post...a comment...or an interaction came at a key time that I could never have anticipated would "make a difference"
3. It is meant to encourage others to "pay it forward" and know that THEY can make a difference too. We often get so wrapped up in what WE need and what's happening to us that we don't pause to see what the needs of others are. I guess it falls under the golden rule of "do unto others as you would have done unto you"

I have to admit that I have NOT always been good at this over the years which is why the reminder is there. Having said that... defining my mantra and trying to find a way to live it every day has been an important element in my journey. It took time to "find it" and then it needed to withstand the test of time. The more I used it the more it seemed to apply to how I was approaching my interactions...my content...and my overall "personal brand".

Living YOUR Personal Brand in Key Moments

It goes without saying that it is "easy" to live your mantra or be your best when times are good. In the "Leadership Challenge" by Posner-Kouzes it talks about "being in the flow". The hard and almost impossible task is to continue to be calm and committed to your mantra when times are challenging...the environment is shifting...and YOU feel like you need the support more than you can give to others.

Like with athletes...musicians or any other profession it takes practice...consistency and coaching to build up muscle memory to have a chance to be your best in key moments. While I don't have it all figured out...I have to say that finding time to reach out to others...offer assistance or simply check in...even if I have a lot going on too... has enabled me to get myself "back in the flow" on the days I am not really feeling like I am at my best...or I feel a pity party creeping in. That spark from that one time you made a difference for someone else when they needed it most can help get you back on track to face the challenges ahead.

In Closing...

This week I saw a posting on Instagram from Thrive Global...

It really resonated with me because over the years I have often lamented that I lacked strong sponsors to "come back for me". Having said that...inspirational sayings like this...while easy "click bait"... play back into YOU being at the center and what OTHERS should do for YOU. I too fell prey to this at first as I reposted the meme. As I started typing #YOUmakeadifference it dawned on me that I needed to add something at the end...

This sounds easy but it’s harder to find than we realize! You can have mentors...you can have friends...you can have support... but to find those who would stick their neck out and sponsor YOU in a room that you aren’t in? That’s a rare and valuable find! May we all find at least one brave sponsor in our career and may we strive to BE one in return!

That last piece of the post is key....that we strive to BE one in return. We often underestimate OUR impact or what WE can do to pay it forward or lead by example. YOU don't have to have a fancy title or be in a position of power to boost others or tout their capabilities in rooms that they are not in. In fact...I would argue that we all have more influence than we give ourselves credit for with the trusted relationships we have established. I have found over and over again that the most humbling and beneficial support has come from unexpected places....in unexpected moments...when someone stuck their neck out for someone else...in a room they weren't in...and it had nothing to do with their title...and it wasn't a "boardroom". It was people helping people and making a difference.

My best advice? When you find yourself looking for what YOU think is missing or what you perceive others should be doing more for YOU...turn it around...start finding ways to make THAT difference for others and pay it forward. DO it with an open heart...authentically and expecting nothing back. Do it because it is the right thing to do. Once YOU start creating those moments YOU may find it easier to see them in unexpected places yourself!

Leadership Questions of the Week for YOU:

• Do YOU have a personal mantra that YOU have defined for yourself over the years? What is it and how do you share it with others?
• In what ways has the mantra influenced YOU or those around YOU as you have shared it in good times and in bad?
• Do YOU often find yourself so wrapped up in YOUR needs that you forget to "pay it forward" and make a difference for others?
• On the contrary...do YOU spend so much time helping others and expecting it in return that it's left a bitter taste in your mouth? How can you identify ways to set better expectations with yourself to embrace the joy of making a difference while not sacrificing your own needs in return?
• What advice do YOU have for others in the benefits of having a personal mantra and how to define it?

Thanks for reading….and remember…YOU make a difference!

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