EDG Blog

Your core values are the intangible beliefs that serve as your moral and ethical compass through life. Your core values are often described indirectly as: your ‘true north’, your guidepost, your lighthouse in the storm, or your intuition (gut feeling).

Consequently, when we shift our focus from trying to ‘solve’ our lives and put effort into experimenting, investigating, risk taking, and actually living our lives, the pressure of ‘getting it right’ dissipates and affords opportunities for discovery, creativity, and passion.

I know that you have the courage to let go! I know that you are getting ready to take that first step, have that first conversation, or pack up that first box. I know that you are long overdue for joy, purpose, respect, control, happiness, and acceptance in your life.

The best leaders know that every experience, failed attempt, risk, decision, and hire is shaping their ability and capacity to care for, empathize with, advocate for, support, and coach those they lead.

A rival is someone (or entity) that is after similar levels of success, reward, recognition, or excellence as you. A rival is a competitor - they drive you to be your best self, put in your best effort, and keep you curious about the best strategies.

Not knowing (or paying attention) to the game you are playing can lead to practices and mindsets of self-sabotage, while knowing the rules, the boundaries, the culture and norms, and nuances of the game provide you a great advantage.

As we close out the first month of 2020, this is a great time to reflect on our commitments, resolutions, and mindsets. Where are you today with the promises you made to yourself and others? How many of them still feel like a whole body yes?

When we embrace simplicity, we make better decisions, we’re more optimistic, we accomplish more goals, we listen more, we make deeper connections, we’re healthier, we experience more freedom and choice, we focus more on the things we can control and influence, we’re less influenced by societal pressures, and we protect our most important resource - time.

Self-awareness challenges us to pay attention to both internal and external cues to fully understand what is happening mentally, physically, emotionally, and spiritually.

For the courageous, commitments are a signal of the areas where we are willing to accept feedback and are willing to address their conscious (what I’ve outwardly committed to) and unconscious commitments (the self-talk and reflection required to execute).

Perseverance is ultimately a recounting of all the receipts you have from struggling to overcome an obstacle, reminding yourself that you’ve done it before, and then doing it again - and again - and again.

In order to craft your leadership into one that leaves a lasting impression, the learning, development, and subsequent successes of those you lead must become more important than your individual contributions.