Mastering Your Mindset: Social Entrepreneurs Leveling Up??

Executive Mindset Mastery 101

Making social change is hard work. I've had years of experience supporting nonprofit and business leaders who have been called to make social change. It's not easy. In fact, sometimes social change can be really messy.

When I worked in the government, I didn't understand why so many issues would cause headache after headache and result in millions of dollars being returned every year. As an entrepreneur, I've realized that the challenges we face when creating change and shifting societal norms can cause a lot of mental strife for the people making change happen.

Some of the strife we badass change agents feel comes from within. Mindset is an important part of the change process. Having the fortitude to keep showing up each day- even when times get tough- is one of the keys to creating lasting change.

BUT HOW DO YOU LEVEL UP WHEN THINGS ARE TOUGH?

Over the past 20 years, I've seen some very difficult situations to navigate. Amazing programs have died because they lost funding. Partners who started strong fizzled due to personnel changes and agencies losing steam. Services that communities depended on closed their doors because policies or politics shifted. I've seen great managers, program directors, and staff lose their jobs because of poor decision-making or lack of foresight to plan ahead for sustainability.

Tough times will always be upon us. As social entrepreneurs, one of the reasons WE got this calling and OTHERS did not... is because we have the skills, wisdom, and heart to navigate the tough times.

If you're reading this newsletter and you're part of the Social Impact Level Up Collective... it's because you've been called to be part of something special. A true leveling up of our ability to make social change.

To do that, we all have to keep going on our mission to make this world a better place. Especially when things get difficult.

Mindset is Everything- YOU'RE THE BOSS OF YOUR FUTURE

No matter what agency you work for now or what roles you've had before. You are in charge of your future. YOU are the key to lasting change. YOUR ACTIONS matter. Together, this community has some really amazing people who represent all facets of impact-based work. But each of us is responsible for our small part in making change and shifting the future.

Our ability to stick with this mission is rooted in our ability to maintain the mindset to keep going. Going beyond having a growth mindset and really digging into the core of what we have been called to do...MAKE THE CURRENT REALITY AND FUTURE BETTER.

You are the executive of your own experience and your own mindset. Even if you work for someone else, you still control yourself and your own actions. You still control how you choose to show up and make an impact every day. When you stop showing up, the change you are responsible for shifts to someone else or just doesn't happen.

This is more than a pep-talk, this is your call to action. If your mindset is not where it needs to be for you to make the impact you want... we need to fix it. Pronto.

That's what this post is about, key points that you need to keep your mindset in the game. Whether you're stepping out and becoming the executive of your own organization OR you need the motivation to stay checked in to the current mission you are on.

This story is all about you and the change you are here to make.

Your Story Matters

In my years as a social policy expert, I've seen the power of stories to change EVERYTHING. Advocating for social change, shifting perspectives on social issues, creating funding where there was no money before- I've witnessed personal stories changing all of these things (for better not worse!)

That's why I share my personal story so openly with you and my audiences online. Learning from someone else's journey is a powerful tool for navigating future challenges. When times are rocky and you're not sure where your motivation went, leaning into your story can create the change you are looking for.

5 Important Mindset Tips for Times of Transition and Challenge

This week I shared some important mindset tips that I use to help my social entrepreneur clients transition from working for someone else's mission to following their passion and founding their own impact-driven organizations.

You can watch the full live stream, but these are a few takeaways that I wanted to share in this week's newsletter so everyone in our community can see how these tips apply to all of us badass change agents.

1.Get Comfortable With The Uncomfortable

There will always be uncomfortable times. Those dimes don't have to dictate your mindset. If you are prepared for the fact that there will be challenges ahead, you can maintain a growth mindset and know that the challenge will bring a lesson. That lesson can help you create powerful change in the future. Keep your mind on a sustainable future, not the current challenge.

2. I Can Help Who I Want To Help How I Want?To Help Them

You are always in control of how you make an impact. You can choose to change career paths, change organizations, or change positions. But YOU are always in charge of how you CHOOSE to help. Whether you work for yourself or someone else, you always have the ability to help others the way you want to.

3. Taking Consistent Inspired Action Is The Road To Success?

Making a difference requires action. Inspired action means the things you choose to do are guided by your passion and intrinsically motivate you to move forward. When things get challenging, internal motivation is clutch. Being consistent with your action and not wavering when things are difficult will keep you moving through the challenge and toward a new reality. Success does not come to those who are stagnant.

4. Get Over Your Fear of Failure

Failure is often seen as a "bad" word. Fear of failure can stop you from doing something that you really want to do or that will make a big impact on someone else's life. When you let failure mire your vision, you limit yourself to the "what ifs" rather than seeing the possibilities that can exist if failure wasn't holding you back. Getting over your fear of failure can look different for everyone, but recognizing that failure is stopping you is the first step.

5. Know You're Worthy

You are worthy of thriving, happiness, AND making the impact you want to make. You do not need to choose one over another. You do not need to work yourself until you're tired and burnt out. You're worthy of helping others and yourself. Don't ever think you have to choose to help others over yourself. Especially when difficult times arise, you do not need to martyr yourself in the name of serving others.

We're All Here to Level Up Together

This year, my emphasis is on helping our community come together and breaking down digital barriers so we can make a collective impact. That's why this is called a collective, not a club or a group.

For all of us to elevate as a family, each of us is responsible for coming to the collective with the right mindset to create change. Working on your mindset will help us all co-create the change we want to see. Part of that is getting better at telling your story to drive more impact.

For the entire month of February 2023 I'm offering live coaching on how to move from the mindset of "these challenges are preventing me from making the impact I want to make" to "My story is so powerful it will create MASSIVE change."

I'm inviting you to get out of your normal routine and the mindset you're in and dig into your story so you can make the change you want to see in the world. This is an opportunity for YOU to MAKE THE CURRENT REALITY AND FUTURE BETTER simply by using your story.

I'm going to help you move away from the mindset of fear and challenge that is holding you back and put YOU into the DRIVER'S SEAT by leveraging your LIVED EXPERIENCE. It's going to be a beautiful and transformative process.

Get your seat in the challenge today by signing up here.

Uplevel Your Story Challenge

All of my secrets for building a follow-worthy, brand based on impact and awesomeness. Make a bigger impact and connect to your audience on a deeper level so you can inspire, get support, and build trust.

Dig Deeper Into These Tips

These tips are from a blog post called "Transitioning from Employee to Boss: Everything You Need Know". The blog post was inspired by tips shared during our podcast episode The Journey from Employee to Boss where members of our community shared their stories about how to navigate difficult transitions as a social entrepreneur.

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P.S. The cover photo is me circa 2006 on my way to Sesse Islands in Uganda. I told the full story of getting trapped in the Ugandan outhouse on the Live linked above and in the last article. I promised to share this photo of how I actually traveled to the Sesse Islands in the back of a small pickup truck loaded down with tons of goods.

The second photo is me leveling up on my second trip to Africa when I lived in Tanzania and worked for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. I was asked to open HIV Care and Treatment Clinics and give the official American government speech. A tree was dedicated in my honor at one of the clinic openings in Nkwenda, Tanzania.

Back in 2006, I had no idea the impact I would make in my life. I went to Uganda to do a needs assessment with schools supported by the Catholic Parish. I didn't have the mindset I have now. I didn't know how to make an impact beyond what others told me I could do. That's what being trapped in that outhouse was like, only seeing the solution others presented to me rather than the solutions I could create for myself.

Now my mindset is completely different. I invite you get out of the dark outhouse as well and get into the right mindset to truly make change. Hop in the challenge and we'll work on all of this for the next 30 days.