I believe there is so much we can learn from other people’s stories. I’ve always believed in the adage ‘Tell, don’t sell’. Nobody likes to be sold to, but everyone loves a good story.
Michael Margolis once said: “The stories we tell literally make the world. If you want to change the world, you need to change your story. This truth applies both to individuals and institutions.”
Truthfully, we can find mentors everywhere in life.
I wanted to press pause and reflect on what I personally learned from some of the stories of founders and leaders, as well as what I have learned from high achievers.
Hopefully, these lessons can inspire you to take action towards your dreams today.
Building habits can take time
“We can really change our habits by practicing and that it helps giving oneself a set, achievable amount of time to REALLY go for something.” — Sara Kiyo Popowa
We tend to be incredibly impatient when it comes to changing something in our life and cultivating positive habits.
Yet, I said this before, repetition is truly the secret for building better habits. The beauty of a routine is that it will affect people differently, which means you do not have to do something that does not feel natural to you to succeed.
Remember, each time you repeat something, you notice something different. Each time you repeat something, there’s some piece that just comes easier.
According to research, up to 40% of our daily actions are powered by habits – the unconscious actions and routines we’ve developed over time.
In our July issue, Sara Kiyo Popowa reflects on how that repetition helped her building more conscious habits for herself, and how she has been impacting her followers and audience as a result of it.
Learning is a never-ending process
“If you read or watch something you learn it once. If you share something you learn it twice.” — Lauren Lovatt
I wish I could tell you there is a time when you can stop learning. However, just as in order to live we have to evolve, in order to evolve we have to keep on learning.
It’s easy to use busy as our encompassing excuse for not being able to spend some time learning something new.
Whether that’s with a friend, college, or on socials, knowledge nuggets are better when shared!
Whether you decide to completely change your current focus or to add more value to something you are already invested in, becoming obsessed with learning is something successful personal brands have in common.
When in doubt, take a breath
“Your breath is like your body’s very own in-built Swiss Army knife. Here, you have a tool that can help you in so many situations” — Richie Bostock
I find there is true magic in stillness.
This is something we explored with July cover star and breath master, Richie Bostock.
It’s something I cannot quite explain. Making that time to do nothing and just be is a very simple yet powerful way to make more space for anything. Especially creativity.
Whenever a member of our collective struggles with overwhelm, I ask them “how can you make space to sit with your feelings?”
Another question I love asking is “What is great about this problem?”.
Make time to celebrate your success
“Take time to celebrate your successes and be proud of yourself, the world moves so quickly and sometimes you can miss those moments as you’re already onto the next.” — Grace Beverley
Far too often we are too busy looking at the next step, the next project or achievement to truly recognise the beauty in what we have already learned and practiced.
This is something Grace Beverley (as a high achiever and founder of multi-million companies aged 23) has often experienced.
Her story is a true reminder that confidence comes from believing in yourself, but also giving yourself a good old pat on the back to celebrate what good has come from the victories and successes.
Dream big, yet think small
“Don’t be afraid to reach out for advice from those who have walked your path. You will be surprised how many people are happy to share their knowledge.” — Anna Samuels
I thought this quote from one of our founder series features would be a great way to end this piece. I encourage you to dream big but break it down into actionable steps.
Each day think “what one thing can I do today that will bring me closer to my vision?” Repeat that every day.
What can you learn from these lessons? What is the one thing you’ll be taking from these stories and action for yourself, in your own life?