Opportunity and Empowerment- Getting to the Foundation of EPM

At the EPMX 2022 conference, I spoke again about the American Gift. I approach this concept a lot because it's at the core of our industry.I also talk about it because it’s at the core and foundation of who we are and what we do for others through EPM.

The American Dream is already reality for us because we've already seized it. I got to watch it through my parents. I get to hear about it from others who have reached for it from where they started.The American Dream is really just hope- the American Gift is what we have all been given by having our feet on this soil and having freedoms and potential that others do not through various circumstances. And the important thing about the American Gift is that it’s only as valuable as what you do with it.?

It’s about recognizing what’s possible. What are you doing, what are you bringing to the table, and is this the environment that energizes you to empower others and propel things forward? And how does what we do here create positive change out there for the 330,000,000 Americans who are all directly or indirectly impacted by our 3 trillion dollar industry??

The Bedrock of EPM

Our foundation is built on recognizing opportunity and using it to grow our industry to empower others. Our goal is that everybody who succeeds through EPM does it through character, leadership, and growth. We are never done listening and learning and evolving.?

People are more interested than ever in solidifying their life’s purpose through meaningful work.. You're on the forefront in this industry - the drive to succeed is not the ticket. Once you have achieved some level of success, you aren’t finished. The drive to learn and grow is what gets us to our next goal, and the next after that, and our industry is about creating freedom for others, we are unstoppable and have unlimited potential when we continue to get better at it.

Creating an Environment of Empowerment

Leadership is always about listening to learn– bring more people to the table to have bigger discussions. Bring people that may not have come together otherwise so that we can come up with strategies and solutions that are unprecedented.

Empowerment is about advocating for others and lifting them up- communities, special groups, focus areas etc…It helps us sustain the integrity of our growing industry so we don’t go back to the old ways of doing things when the industry focus was not on human being, but on money and power and frankly greed. And it came crumbling down in 2008.

Change begins with you. I think it's pretty easy to point fingers at others, it’s really tough to point thumbs back at yourself. But pointing thumbs and taking accountability is where it's at. One person can make a difference. Not without coming together with a lot of other people, but it starts in the mirror. It starts with reflecting your purpose and meaning out to others, and then working together with others to bring your collective vision into existence.

My dad taught me that kindness and empathy is a two way street.We should all be looking for an opportunity to work together and collaborate to lift others up. The more we give others, the more we get back. This industry contains the gatekeepers of freedom, and by staying true to our foundations, we ensure that our communities will be lifted up to seize opportunity as well.