“It is not the mountain we conquer but ourselves.”
– Edmund Hillary
I returned last Tuesday evening from a 3 day event with a dozen business leaders, who had attended my Thrive Experience, which was a residential event at a hotel in Ireland.The focus of the event was to take time out to reset the batteries, review the model each was using for leadership and life, and then to re-emerge back into the river of life with a renewed sense of purpose, motivation and focus. What impressed me the most was the courage of the participants to step into the hardest work of all – inner work. This requires you to turn the mirror on yourself, see where the work is and then get to it. It always involves a willingness to bypass your ego. On the second day we took the group out onto a river and journeyed over 3km of remote water by kayak, including traversing a traditional lock system, where we had the unique experience of taking all kayaks into the lock as the water was being released – allowing us to move to the next section of canal at a higher level.The next day we shared some of the leadership metaphors from the exercise. There were many but one stood out for me. You can only move from one level of the canal to another by moving through the lock system. This requires you to close the gates of the lock behind you, otherwise the water being released won’t rise. But if the gates are fully closed, then the water will rise and eventually the pressure equalises, allowing you to open the opposite gate and move onto the next section of the river.If you’re looking to move to the next level of your career, business and life but it’s not happening, maybe you should consider if you are not closing a ‘gate’ behind you.
Examples could include:
- Baggage from the past
- Fears of failure
- Goals from a previous version of you that no longer apply
- Regrets
- Mindsets that don’t serve the best version of you
- Guilt in any form
Your ego may trick you into believing that there is nothing to leave behind but that has rarely been my experience. There is always something to let go. Where can you close the lock this week? What needs to be let go?
Shane
ps – If you’re in Dublin on the 3rd of October, I am holding a public talk where I will share insights from over 20 years of supporting creating better results in their careers, organisations and lives. Limited seats available. Details here:https://www.eventbrite.ie/e/an-evening-of-inspiration-and-clarity-tickets-47771605157
UPCOMING EVENTS IN SEP/OCT:
Join Me In Chicago? – 18th-21st September.
Philanthropic Event & US/IRL Business Networking in Chicago, All details here.
An Evening Of Inspiration And Clarity – Dublin 3rd October
Join me for a public talk where I will share tried and tested ideas that will add immense value to you, your organisation and your life. Details here.
The Clarity Program – Evening Program (Dublin – Starts 17th October)
In today’s busy world, clarity is the ultimate power. Over 6 weeks, build the essential inner skills of clarity which will help improve your focus, peace of mind, productivity and enjoyment. Details here.
POWERFUL CONTENT:
Book: Inspire Me – ‘Life Wisdom To Pass On’. Buy UK/IRL, North America
CEO Question Series: If you’re a CEO or in a leadership position, you should enjoy my free weekly CEO Question Series. On YouTube and Linked In.
Online Academy: Achieve more clarity, excel in your personal and professional development with some of my online courses and talks. Learn at your own pace from anywhere. More details here.
Topics include:
- State Of Mind: Improve The Key To Better Results In Busines And Life
- Thrive: How To Do It In A World That’s Changing Faster Than Ever
- BluePrint Online : Improve your Purpose, Clarity and Focus
CONNECT:
My Blog – The Eye Of The Storm: https://shanecradock.com/blog/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/shanecradock
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ShaneCradock.InspiredBusiness/
Linked In: https://www.linkedin.com/in/shanecradock/
