Mike Iamele shares how support has been important to him, and how three words can keep us moving forward.
Panic. Rush, rush, rush. One morning, I was running late, trying desperately to come up with a worthy topic to write about. I may fool you into thinking I’ve always got a topic just waiting to be written. But the truth is, some days, it’s more like a mad dash than anything else.
As I watched the clock tick toward my 9am deadline, I yelled out to Garrett, “I don’t know what to write about,” begging him to give me some topic—any topic.
Instead, he just smiled and said softly, “You’ve got this,” as he walked by.
And, like that, I started writing. I’ve got this. I can do this. I just needed to be reminded.
Support. It’s a funny thing. It’s hard to define. It’s not exactly advice—because that’s not what we need. It’s reassurance. It’s a safety net. It’s belief in us when we can no longer believe in ourselves.
Support. It’s belief in us when we can no longer believe in ourselves.
|
I had two calls—one with a client and one with a friend—in which the topic of support in relationships came up. Both were ending their relationships because they weren’t receiving the level of support that they needed. And, as entrepreneurs, they needed a lot.
Life is hard. The entrepreneurial path is even harder. You doubt yourself. You fail sometimes. You make mistakes and lose your way and crumble from time to time. You need some kind of support.
I admitted this to both my client and friend: that—truthfully—I’m not so sure I would have left my job, started seeing clients, written my book, or been writing for you every day if it weren’t for Garrett. If it weren’t for that charming smile and those soft words. Encouraging me, supporting me, believing in me before I could even believe in myself. To Garrett, I can do anything. And that one thought keeps me going even on the darkest days. Like when I have nothing to write about.
But it doesn’t have to just be a relationship. Support comes in all shapes and sizes. There’s the support you might have been born into. There’s the support you might accidentally stumble upon. And there’s the support you create for yourself. Family, friends, partners, coworkers, assistants, neighbors—there are so many kinds of support. There are so many people just waiting to remind you that you’ve got this.
Just because you’re in control of your life—just because you’re creating success on your own terms—doesn’t mean that you have to do it all by yourself. Sure, you’re independent and smart and tough and all of those good things. But you’re not perfect. You’re not Superman. You’re bound to have an off day. You’re bound to drop your confidence once or twice. And that’s why you need support.
Just because you’re in control of your life—just because you’re creating success on your own terms—doesn’t mean that you have to do it all by yourself.
|
In case you haven’t noticed, I’m not great at keeping my own secrets. I spill pretty much every one of them on here. But here’s one you might not know: I owe all of my successes to support. I’m not stripping myself of my awesomeness. I’m not saying I’m not a good writer or a good coach or a great herbalist (Yeah, I get a great on that one). But, in all seriousness, I owe my successes to my support because, without it, I wouldn’t have had the courage to act on those things. I wouldn’t have had the confidence to put myself out there. I wouldn’t have had the self-esteem to keep going when people disliked what I was doing or saying.
That’s where the support comes in.
So look around at your own support network. Look around at the people who remind you that “you’ve got this,” when you’re not so sure. See if you’ve got the network that you need to be successful. And, if not, start making it. Put together the weekly masterminds, reach out to business groups, start attending Meetups, find new friends, reach out to old ones—do whatever you’ve got to do to build your support team.
Because that’s what’s going to propel you forward. That’s what’s going to convince you that you can keep going. That’s what’s here to remind you just how amazing you truly are.
And if you need a reminder, I’m here to tell you. You’ve got this. Don’t worry. You’ve got this.
—
Want the best of The Good Men Project posts sent to you by email—including more by Mike Iamele? Join our mailing list here.
—
Originally published at bostonwellnesscoach.com. Photo: kreezzalee/Flickr
Also by Mike Iamele:
How to Be Yourself When Everyone Pressures You to Be Something Else
Why Positivity Doesn’t Always Mean Success
Join the conversation, right from your inbox. Get The Good Men Project newsletter, daily or weekly.