A Personal Truth That I Finally Had To Accept

I have been blessed to have found Periscope for many reasons, but one of them is the incredible people I have met. Through that and because of a weekly entrepreneur book club I run, someone suggested the book "The Big Leap" by Gay Hendricks. What was ironic was the week before we read "The Alchemist" by Paulo Coelho, and they talk about basically the same thing.

In "The Big Leap" it’s referred to as the Zone of Genius.

In "The Alchemist", it’s referred to as your Personal Legend.

What they both mean, is that thing you were put on earth to do. That thing that is your gift. That thing you absolutely know you should be doing, but you have convinced yourself that other things are more important.

It could be that you believed making money right away was more important, and that you would go back to your ‘thing’ later. Maybe it’s kids, and when they grow up, you’ll revisit it. Maybe you have become so far removed because a while back you convinced yourself it was impossible, and you no longer know what it even is.

I believe that 'thing' is the key to life, and when you lose touch with it, you really aren't living

Sure, it’s a harsh truth. What I do love is that you’re not crazy for not pursuing it. You see, if you don’t pursue it, and give it everything you’ve got, you never technically fail. You never put it out there, and watch it fall. You never get hurt from it. It just becomes easier to never go for it.

I read "The Big Leap" with tears in my eyes. I have just started getting solid with my path again, my personal legend. As I’ve started businesses, and now this one in particular, I have discovered what I love doing. Through that I’ve been brought back to writing, which has been a dream I’ve had since I can remember being able to hold a pen.

As I grew older, life got more important. There was a time when I never left myself go a day without writing.  Slowly that day turned into several, then into weeks, until the numbers in between outgrew the number of days I was actually writing.

Every New Years, I would write that I was going to finally finish that book. However, it was always showed up on the next year’s list.

I think my soul died a little that first January 1st when I finally became real with myself and didn’t list writing a book on my resolutions. I just knew it wasn’t going to happen.

I’ve been meditating regularly, and writing has always come up. I feel alive when the idea just pops into my head, and I have to get in front of a computer, letting it flow out. I knew that this was the thing that when my time finally came in life, that if I didn’t do, I would regret forever.

So in March I finally finished my first book. Then I discovered what I thought was the hard part, was actually the easy part. So many questions and steps appeared in front of me, and I stood frozen in fear.

Yes, I’ve been working with an editor to get it right, but there’s still some massive self-sabotage going on behind the scenes.

This has become everything to me. The thing that I’ve wanted so bad for 37 years. The thing that’s my zone of genius. However, what happens if I put it out to the world, and it and it crashes and burns right in front of me? What happens if my zone of genius doesn't turn out to be genius at all? What if I disappoint just one person who pays for it, and doesn’t get value?  What if this thing that's supposed to be everything to me, leads me nowhere?

What I have failed to ask myself is what happens if every dream I’ve ever had begins to come true because I’m finally taking this chance on myself? What if it’s just the beginning of so many amazing things to come? What if I change one person’s life forever by sharing my story with the world?

You know why I never have asked myself the later set of questions? Because I’ve never allowed myself to believe that they’re possible.

I’ve believed I’m not worth it. I’ve believed that happiness and my gifts that were given to me, just aren’t worth sharing with others. I’ve held myself back for 37 years because I’ve convinced myself that I’m not worthy.

And if you’ve gotten this far, this is probably resonating with you just a little.

So my first challenge for you is to find that thing. Maybe you don’t know what it is, and that’s okay.  First ask:

• What comes easily to you?
• What do you love doing?
• What intrigues you?
• What did you maybe decide that you shouldn’t pursue, for any given reason, even though it hurt a little to give it up?

Then when you find that, stop telling yourself that it’s not possible. Stop doing the other things you’ve suddenly deemed more important because you have convinced yourself you shouldn’t pursue this. Stop putting these limits and beliefs on yourself.

Instead, ask yourself this one question. What is it going to feel like when all of this finally gets shared with the world, and my dreams actually can come true? Let that answer seep in for just a moment, and then take another step forward. That, my friend, is your personal legend.

Let's hear it in the comments.  Who is with me?!

Oh, and for more incredible reads, make sure you're following me on Periscope: @thestartersclub