Your Olympic Support Team

I will admit that I am not a big sports fan. If the Maple Leafs ever win a Stanley Cup don't stop the bandwagon for me because I won’t be climbing aboard. However, I DO love the Olympics. In fact, I've watched more TV these past few days than I've watched in the last 12 months. Here's why I love the Olympics :
 
I learn something about leadership and commitment from these incredible people and their stories.

For instance, watch the Olympics for awhile and you quickly realize that the people accompanying each athlete hold one thing in common – their absolute belief in that athlete and an unwavering support of the dream. A skeptic just doesn’t have a chance around them.

That support didn’t begin with the Olympics. Over the years of training and competitions, each athlete surrounded themselves with carefully chosen allies as their journey progressed. It may have been only parents or a friend at first, but the circle grew as each positive addition was welcomed. Disbelievers and doubters were bade good-bye or left on their own accord.

When the going is tough, the athlete wants someone they can turn to and see their dream caught and reflected back to them.  Something as simple as a hug and the assurance “I know you can do it” may be the key to their next triumph. The energy of the athlete’s own belief becomes magnified, bigger than their own doubts and fears.

Who is your support team? Who are your biggest fans? Have you found your coach?  Ask them to help you hold the dream. When you run into that skeptical family member or the friend who is always pessimistic, don’t allow them to rain on your dream.  Be choosy about who you surround yourself with because you do have a choice. 

Here’s one more great thing about these Olympic supporters. All the athlete needs to do is go out there and give it their absolute best. Their family and friends still love and respect them even when they don’t stand on the podium.

So make a commitment to your vision and go for it, surrounded by your own Olympic Support Team.

 

Susan Boyle, Bolder Woman

I had planned to blog on something else today but simply HAD to share this with you.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9lp0IWv8QZY

Talk about a Bolder Woman claiming her dream. As I watched the faces of the judges and the audience as she spoke before singing I felt anger at how she was being pre-judged. When she mentions her age they are almost rolling their eyes.

And then she opens her mouth to sing…

The shock on those same faces is priceless. My favourite moment (besides the singing itself)?  Watching Simon's eyebrows shoot up.

I've seen Les Miserables at least 4 times live. Never did the words of this song strike home so deeply as they did, watching Susan, in spite of the reactions around her, claim her precious dream. I was moved to tears.

Three things stood out for me. Susan's bold cheekiness in spite of her reception; the support in the wings who believed in her; and she didn't hold back when her moment arrived.

What's your dream?
Where can you find support for yourself?
And what do you need to do so that you don't hold back?

If you want to connect with some other amazing Bold Women, join me in May for "In Praise of Bolder Women". The aim of this FREE event is to inspire and help you get into action with your own dream.
Register online at the link above.

Don't hold back. Join me now in bringing more cheeky boldness to the world!

 

The Roy Factor

I've been in Orlando for the past 10 days, enjoying some R&R with family but also finding a lot of ideas to share over the next few weeks. First up – no matter how you may feel about Mickey Mouse, pick up a biography of Walt Disney and get inspired.

Disney's road to success wasn't a fairy tale with a guaranteed happily ever after. He faced betrayal, major disappointments and often skated very close to the edge financially. 

I believe two things kept him going – absolute belief in his vision and support from his brother Roy. It's the Roy factor that interests me here.

Too often we make the mistake of diluting our efforts rather than concentrating on our strengths. The Disney brothers got it right. Walt had the imagination but he relied on Roy for the business sense. By each of them recognising and respecting their individual brilliance, they were an unbeatable team.

Where do you shine most brightly? How often do you try to tough something out yourself, thinking, "If I only try harder or learn more or get myself to…"?

LIke the rest of us, you'll have areas of competence, even excellence but look for your brilliance and focus your attention and efforts there. Fill in the blanks with someone who supports your vision and compliments your purpose. You don't have to do it alone. The sum really is larger than its parts.

Go ahead and wish upon your particular star. Then don't be afraid to ask for help making a success of your dream.

 

Ask For What You Need

I've been reading the book we're going to discuss in the Edge Book Club and it seems every time I open it I come across something I want to share. Last week, however, the author Barbara Stanny really struck gold for me. She wrote about seeking support for your dreams and goals.

According to Ms. Stanny, successful women (and men, too) need two types in their lives and business – Way Showers and True Believers. For most of us, it's not that they don't exist in our lives. Our problem lies in asking for the support we need. We learn early to 'stand on your own two feet' and 'don't be a nuisance'. Lots of messages that make Independence the ideal.

It's a myth to think you can figure it all out yourself. And it's certainly not a virtue. You lose a world of richness and possibility if the only experience you can draw on is your own.

In the current economy, it's more important than ever to find the support you need. Optimistic, outside of the box support that keeps you moving forward.

What we lose by trying to make it on our own is inspiration,
accountability and someone to cheer us on. The right support also helps pry our
fingers off the ledge when it's time to leap.

I can always use more of that in my life. What about you?

 

Team Up For Success

I often joke with my husband that I don't need more time, I need more deadlines. That applies even with the things I know are good for me, such as exercise or a book I've been meaning to read. That's when a coaching concept called "accountability" helps out.

 

Simply put, it's someone you make yourself accountable to for an action or result you want in your life. A good example is meeting your neighbour for a walk at 6 a.m. every morning.

 

It's easy to let yourself off the hook when only you notice but knowing that your friend is waiting at the end of your driveway is a great incentive. (Especially here in Ontario when winter mornings get pretty frosty. Friendsicles can be testy.)

 

If you've got an important goal for 2009, enlisting a carefully chosen support team is a good first step. Set up regular check-ins to keep you on track. Let them know how to support you – what will work and what won't. (If you want some ideas on how to go about this, join my Success Salon this Thursday.)

 

Few of us are successful on our own. Even Obama had a team that cheered him on and I'll bet there were days when Michelle helped him get out the door.

 

Create your own Success Team for the support you want to achieve your goals. No one else may know they are there but the results will be obvious.