There are many times in life when saying “Yes” feels audacious.
Throughout the course of my life, I have noticed a fascinating correlation between those who say “Yes” to opportunities when they are not yet ready and growing and expanding in unexpected ways. And as with any audacious things in life, the ability to say yes can stretch along a wide spectrum.
On the cold end of the audacity spectrum, people are afraid to commit and thus, consistently turn down opportunities. As a result, they tend to remain stuck in a place or advance more slowly.
On the hot end of the spectrum, people recklessly overcommit and in doing so, make a mess of their work and personal lives.
Yet, those who have the courage to say “yes” consistently, learn more skills, discover more of their talents, and create more gateways for advancement and fulfilment.
When we are willing to say yes, embracing the possibility of failure, we embrace both our strengths and weaknesses, connections, and resources. We can quickly weigh the risks and make an educated choice that will not only serve the greater good but advance our own path. The ability to see ourselves clearly is what gives us the confidence to commit, take risks and trust that we can deliver.
NASA has just delayed the launch of its Artemis moon mission again, until at least the middle of November. There have been many unsuccessful attempts since earlier this year. A failure? We don’t think so. Rather another step towards bringing this mission to success. When the stakes are high, the importance of each step becomes more critical. You don’t want to blow your pursuit by rushing ahead.
We launched our Artemis Open Leadership Programme at Adaptaa on
6 September. This programme is our mission to help leaders become more powerful, at ease and aligned with their purpose. We also delayed the start of our programme, yet we are proud we beat the NASA mission….
Anyone who is successful has failed much more than you will ever know. Successful people are rewarded in public for the things they consistently practice and refine in private. Even if things don’t work out perfectly, the simple fact that they took a clear assessment of their chances of success and made the brave choice to leap, still results in building muscles that eventually grow into a superpower.
Every failed experiment is one step closer to success. It feels exciting and risky to launch our own Artemis unconventional leadership mission over a 10-month period. The audacious leaders who said yes, took a risk and joined us in breaking new ground and creating new perspectives.
The other side of saying “yes” is often considered one of the most audacious and radical acts a human can engage in. The courage to say “Yes” to ourselves.
This is about having an ongoing commitment to our own self-care so that we can always be at our best health, happiness, and vitality.
Saying yes to our own self-development and growth, when life is super busy with work and family commitments is an audacious act.
When we learn to create healthy boundaries, we find the balance between exquisitely caring for ourselves and the people and projects we care most about in our lives.
And the more we are nourished, the more we can generously give to others without burning out.
Choosing to self-care in this way is a superpower because it allows us to stay sharp, productive, and attuned to making powerful choices that lift everyone up… along with us.
What are you choosing to say Yes to, before you are ready?
With love, Alina