So, THIS happened…
Which is exciting. But also – weird.
Because – what? People are going to watch me now? What do they want to see me do? Unsure…and slightly unsettled. Feel that perhaps I will fail to supply adequate Watch-ability. Would hate to be watched and disappoint. Be…boring to Watch. That would be the worst.
Also – why now? Seriously, am almost 60. Could have done with being Watched when was younger, slimmer and less grey. Would have shown up better on the Watchability scale. However. Heigh Ho. Is what it is, etc.
Only reason can really think of that I might be Watchable is the things I do that are NOT business-as-usual.
Lots of people these days seem to be asking me “What’s your secret?”
You want to know? It’s not complicated. My secret is my beliefs. A belief is a feeling of certainty about the world. Beliefs are highly personal, and whatever you believe – it’s true for you.
You know how they ask you at the airport if you packed your own bags? Beliefs are like that. Did you pack your own bags? Or did you let that nasty teacher Mrs Johnson back in Year Two, slip something in there about you not being good at art, or such a terrible singer so you should just mouth the words? Are you still carrying that belief around with you, all these years later?
I pack my own belief bags. I carefully curate my beliefs. I tend them, I prune them, and I only hang onto the ones that serve me and pull me forward. Stress-tested, so to speak.
So here are my carefully polished and cherished beliefs, in no particular order:
- Cash is NOT king. There are a whole lot of things that are more important.
- Everything matters.
- Everything sends a message.
- Happiness doesn’t come from excess leisure. Happiness comes from doing productive, interesting work.
- Family First. Business will never hug you back.
- It’s got to be good from the ground up. A distorted molecule will grow into a distorted ice palace.
- You CAN do well by doing good.
- Don’t try to grow the business – deepen it.
- Never tell lies, not even tiny white ones. It’s too exhausting to keep track of.
- “Not all of us can do great things. But we can do small things with great love.” – Mother Theresa
- Everyone is in his/her own movie. It’s probably entirely different to my movie. In their movie, they are the hero, and they’re 100% right and justified.
- Repairing the smallest part repairs the whole.
- Overwhelm is the enemy.
- The only question to ask when things go wrong (or right!) is “How is this an opportunity?”
- If your brain says, “It’s NOT an opportunity, it’s a disaster!” then ask, “But if it WAS an opportunity? What would that be?”
- Immaculate. Transparent. Authentic.
- The kindest person in the room is often the smartest.
- Tomorrow the world may knock me down, and I will not get up again. But that day is not today. NOT TODAY!!!
- Grit – not talent, intelligence or social status – is the strongest predictor of success.
- Grit = passion + perseverance.
- Get out there and get your boots on the road. You don’t know how? Great. The journey will teach you everything you need to know, along the way.
- Perfectionism is the killer. It doesn’t have to be perfect – it just has to be done.
- Do something, even if it’s wrong. Indecision is a time waster. Better to try something, and then adjust while you’re moving.
- Adapt. Improvise. Overcome.
- If 98% isn’t working – look at the 2% that IS working, and do more of that. That’s a SUCCESS FRAME.
- Stop being afraid that bad things will happen. They will. The question is, what happens next?
- Failure is just a measure of risk. Look for an 80/20 split on success and failure. If you’re failing less than 20% of the time, you’re not taking enough risks. More than 20%, you’re taking too many risks.
- Make the choices that you will wish you had made, when you’re 80 and looking back.
- The end doesn’t justify the means. Ever.
- Bad people do bad things, for what they consider to be good reasons. Good people do good things, for no reason at all.
- Create beauty.
- Grow roses.
- Let go of the result.
What are the beliefs that pull YOU forward? I’d love to hear!
Happy International Women’s Day –
Hugs!
Shann.x
Shann Jones MBE
Founder/Director Chuckling Goat LTD
