Installment 11: More

Words elicit feelings. The title of this Installment may have already elicited a feeling within you. Clicking to read a newsletter with this title could have something to do with what you're seeking, or maybe what you're avoiding. Either way, I'm glad you're here. I'm sharing the story of "more" because I cannot express how regularly this topic serves as the main inflection point for breakthroughs to occur with the leaders I coach and train.

Can we start out with a quick exercise?

How does the word "more" make you feel? Don't contemplate through your interpretation of what an optimal answer might be. I just want you to feel that initial visceral reaction the word creates within your mind and body.

Ok. Have you got that picture in your mind of what the word "more" means to you?

Thanks for completing the exercise.

When I train leaders to create and manage a life of seemingly effortless growth, I first need them to learn to understand and feel their current state of being. Why? Because sustainable growth involves a continuous deviation from how you're interpreting your current self. It involves a conscious and willful effort of moving from your current state toward a new one you're perceiving as "more". Notice I said toward. If self-reflection results in the smallest commitment to make a minor adjustment, these will stack up toward exponential growth over time.

Don't think of your inner work as waiting to arrive at a new state of being, rather perceive that you're now in constant movement toward a better representation of who you desire to be.

You can't unlock what you're not attempting to unlock, so I'm always asking leaders to bring attention to where they're experiencing conflict. Ultimately, I'm just looking for it to awaken a willingness to rattle their own cage. You certainly don't need anyone else's permission to try something different and escape your reality-loop of insanity. You will, however, need your own permission to chase different results by doing something slightly different.

This is Installment 11: More

We carry an interpretation of the world based on our past. Reminding ourselves to unravel our interpretations of the world from time to time is a good thing. From a personal development standpoint, it's a game-changer. From a business standpoint, it's the same type of catalyst. I've worked with leaders who work in well-established systems, and I've coached them through overhauls of modernizing their organizations. Not because all established systems are outdated, but many components of those old systems need regular tune-ups.

I'm not one to preach about embracing change. I see that as a motivational mousetrap. If it works for you, great, but I do not believe it to be a requirement for growth. Adaptability with an open mind, however, is the spark for change to occur. If we can teach ourselves to restructure our perceptions on a regular basis, at the pace and energy level that suits us best, it will inspire unimaginable change. The capacity for this change is limitless. The message I repeat constantly in these newsletters is that there is more available to you than you think there is. David Goggins, former Navy Seal and all-around baddest man on the planet, has built a brand around this concept. His theory is that humans have established their own imaginary threshold which represents when we're only at 40% of our true capacity. That moment when we're ready to give up is when we still have 60% left in the tank. 60%! It only seems crazy to those who've never tested this notion. And by test, I don't mean contemplate the simulation in your mind. I mean you're going to have to shatter and power through a previously believed threshold by actually doing something more. Once you feel it, you'll never be able to unsee it again. The first time will fuel the next time, and it will eventually become a part of who you are. It's the same story I've been sharing about those emerging moments that define us. This is part of that journey.

When you feel you're at capacity, give yourself more to do. Here's a glimpse into what I typically hear at this point.

Rob, are you crazy? You don't understand how busy I already am. How can I add more?

It seems counterintuitive, but you'll be able to understand its intended purpose if you sit with the idea for a minute. I'm not here to fool you into a mode of willingness to experience comfortable growth. It's actually quite the opposite. It's not the sadist aspect of it that I enjoy, being on the coaching end of things. It's the actual joy of experiencing another human finally unlocking the door toward never-ending growth. That's what inspires me.

Your current definition of your own capacity is a delusion. It's rooted in a framework of past experiences, limited belief systems, and for many includes a layer of trauma on top of that. It's no joke when you feel stuck. Knowing what you want and what you need to do is not enough to move past it. I want you to experience what it feels like to push way past your currently perceived capacity. As you grow into this skill, it will become effortless as you deliberately map out the journey of becoming who you wish to be.

One thing I didn't touch on, that is really important is this. For some, the counter-intuitiveness of adding more to your plate when you're already feeling you're at capacity is too much to conceive. Especially if one is experiencing a heightened level of work, pressure, or commitments. Adding more to your plate allows your brain to shift from surviving-while-drowning into a mode of complete deliberativeness. Things that seemed important get shifted, and when you realize what can be shifted and what you can do without, it allows for a rapid reprioritization of work and life. It forces you to make deeper decisions. It forces you to surrender at a deeper level. The training is not easy. In order to become a top leader, this is a skill that needs to be practiced and applied. Just like any other skill. The art of intentionally overwhelming yourself needs to intersect with your desire to commit to a new path. When it does, big breakthroughs will begin to reveal themselves.

Onward & Upward