SHIFTING - A SAGE MOVE

For years I have believed in the power of understanding self, of defining vision, mission and purpose. Those that know me hear me say over and over – Branding is about how you show up in the world, about how you demonstrate your solutions, your values and you can’t do that well if you do not start from the inside. Recently, though I have found myself refraining some from this intense internal work with clients. Why? Well it’s that soft skills paradox. Soft skills are often seen as less important. Quite frankly, it is a decent argument to make. If a company is struggling to meet bottom line goals – financial needs and skills related to them seem crucial and may outweigh soft-skill development. Even when a client is looking at a career change, the idea of having to self-reflect about purpose can seem like a time-killer. Yet, It is often the difference between building the right internal connections to the right exte
al connections. And often the difference between failure and success – I needed a reminder about this – and thankfully I got one.

A few months ago, I entered a certification process to be a facilitator for an inspiring, remarkable program, called REBOOT. http://www.nvtsi.org/?p=282 Its aim is to help reintegrate service men and women into civilian life. This is a much-needed program as the “statistics show high unemployment, homelessness, suicide, drug and/or alcohol abuse and other reintegration problems experienced by returning service members, and those numbers are rising.”

In three weeks men and women – our dedicated service members - change the way they think. They move from a place of serving only the military’s mission to a place of serving their own mission as well. I remember asking one of the founders, “Come on – you must get some resistance during this program. I mean you are asking soldiers and sailors to define purpose, vision, to look at their core values?” And he said, yes in the beginning --but then a change happens.”

I call that change the shift.

A shift happens in the mind and the heart. Together they create a powerful platform for positive change. We can ignore what we see – what is not working, we can fight it or complain about it – or we can even run away. Fear is often present in our reactions. Until we understand how to change our thoughts, we may continue down a detrimental path. We also can travel without focused direction – or we can envision life from a place of core values, alignment and mission. Sure things will still be tough – in our personal lives, in our careers. But imagine how much more fulfilling our decisions can be when we start with purpose. I was reminded of why I began my work years ago with Values, Vision and Mission during REBOOT. I am including links to a few graduates of the 8th class of REBOOT. I am honored to have been one of their facilitators during week two. They shifted – they see life is so much more than before – with brilliance and resilience and a sense of positive power – all because they shifted. And thanks to them I was reminded – I SHIFTED too,