The pain of unmet purpose and meaning rarely trumps complacency.
It’s human nature to take the path of least resistance and most 9 to 5 jobs fulfill this dynamic. Sacrificing hopes and dreams in exchange for security and routine, many workers sit in cubicles fantasizing about lounging in beach chairs while composing the next hit song, writing the great American novel, or walking on stage to a cheering, adoring crowd which includes their old high school nemesis stuck in the nosebleeds. The perfect finish to office daydreams are visions of cash piling up. Puffed up by their own magnificence, they bathe in imaginary success.
When the clock hits 5 pm an exodus floods the freeways with teeming masses slowly creeping home. Longing to act out inner fantasies and feel alive, these weekend warriors hit the local karaoke joint, write in a journal, or dance at the Arthur Murray Dance Studios every Friday evening.
Monday dawns all too soon and the weekly grind and drudgery begin anew.
Then there are those of us who dare to enter an exclusive arena and in the words of Teddy Roosevelt, “[strive] valiantly; who [err], who [come] short again and again… who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly.”
We are the entrepreneurs.
When we wake up we don’t have the comfort and safety of knowing what time to be at work. There are no managers to report to, no company rules to follow. We don’t have the luxury of a steady paycheck every second Friday.
We are the boss, we make the rules.
This special minority reaches for the stars as writers, actors, dancers, musicians, CEOs of private companies, and more. Facing ourselves daily we ascend a steep learning curve in service of our dream. We bear the weight of fiscal responsibility on our shoulders.
There are days when we crash headlong into self-doubt and inadequacy. It shows up as an internal dialog that questions our right to the pursuit of happiness and financial privilege by doing something other than what the majority of the world expects. We wonder if we really have what it takes to succeed in the face of tough statistical odds.
All these doubts coalesce into one big devil: The Imposter. It’s the mental monster that insists we realize our road to freedom as an entrepreneur is littered with a lack of expertise, credibility, and talent. It taunts us with our failures and moments of defeat; tempting us to give up and quit.
On those days when we are feeling less than stellar, unable to find the words to write, short on energy to drive towards that self-imposed deadline, or lacking in motivation, we must dig deep within in order to persevere. We must fight the demon that tells us we are imposters trying to pull the wool over the eyes of those we wish to sell to, perform for and receive payment from.
What if instead of being found out as imposters it is our own magnificence that we fear? What if it’s our own power and daring that scares us? Is it possible that our brilliance is so bright we fall back upon the imposter syndrome because it feels more humble, more human, and therefore acceptable? It is safer to allow feelings of uncertainty than it is self-acknowledgment.
Marianne Williamson once said, “Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, ‘Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous?…”
When darkness strikes in the form of writer’s block, body aches, and pains, or misgivings, rather than taking the self-effacing path towards imposterhood, why not consider an alternative? Move past imposter syndrome, recognize and embrace your own magnificence. By freeing yourself to shine and share your gifts with the world you illuminate a path for others who are not as bold.
As Marianne also said, “…as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.”
Allow yourself to experience the total freedom that comes with being an entrepreneur and author of your own destiny. Own your power and forge a path for your fellow human beings to follow. Maybe those who daydream at work will choose to embrace their own magnificence and dare greatly too.
#MWC WORK #MWCWORK
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This post was previously published on MEDIUM.COM.
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