Are you of the belief that there is strength in numbers? What does strength in numbers mean to you? Do you consider yourself to be at your optimum when you are working on your own or when you are working in a team? If you had your way… would it be you jamming in seclusion with your laptop and making magic or would you be in a group – face to face or virtual – coming up with life enhancing ideas (and ways to execute them)
I mean if one wo/man is an island… then a group of people is what… a mob?
Not quite…
While I am an only child (something I grew to love after my 10 year old self realised that mummy and daddy weren’t going to heed my requests for a sibling) – in recent years #achievemoretogether has become one of my biggest mantras (oooh… we’ll be talking about mantras in a blog and video soon… so get yours ready). For me, Achieve More Together resonates because I have come to the conclusion that as much as I can do on my own, more often than not, an appreciation of “togetherness” / strength in numbers can take what I am looking to achieve to the next level.
Hold up, wait a minute! I am not suggesting that:
- We can’t or shouldn’t do things on our own because actually, if we don’t get our head down and ‘just do it’ – things are rarely seen through to completion. Focusing and doing things on your own is a key part of your success.
- Introverts (like myself) who really enjoy working on their own will not be successful at what they are doing.
- Being consistently co-dependent is wise or using others as an excuse for your shortcomings is advisable
However, in my experience, there is strength in numbers because (and I’m just going to list a few points here because this would be the longest post ever if I just kept going and going):
- What you think isn’t always right! That brilliant mind you have can sometimes be your own worst enemy when the mind monkeys kick in. You know the ones… those doubts and fears that creep in and sometimes penetrate so deep that they paralyse your process and enthusiasm. When you’re solely on your own these can stop your brilliance in its tracks. Doubts (and no encouragement or alternative perspective) kill your mojo – and nobody wants that.
- Surrounding yourself with people that lift you higher is so powerful. No… seriously… SO POWERFUL! To name just a new networks I am currently tapped into… I run a mastermind group of fantastic female entrepreneurs with very different businesses and missions who are all making positive and powerful contributions in their area; I am a participant in a coaching/training group for female entrepreneurs who are looking to successfully launch products online (a great investment of money and time -and I can already attribute this as a source of any future success I have with online coaching programmes I launch); I work one on one with a coach to help me accelerate the journey towards my achievements (in the same way I do with my clients – another invaluable investment); my hubby and I re dedicated to supporting each other’s dreams and goals and as such have formed this partnership of support – through the times when we are at our most awesome and the times when we may have a lit of a wobble – when it comes to our business, career and lifestyle goals.
- When you strike a good balance with this – you are onto a winner. By that, I mean surrounding yourself with positive, like-minded people who you can support and who can support you. For me, this is anything from a Facebook or whatsapp group of people with a similar mission to a one on one coaching relationship – and from business conferences and networking events through to a late night chat with a supportive spouse, friend or parent.
Yes, one wo/man definitely can make a difference (look at Martin Luther King Jr, Erin Brockovich, Oprah Winfrey and more) – but from the spark of individual brilliance… it is when a positive group come together that it can evolve into a community and world changing movement.
Don’t gamble away your chances of maximum success by insisting on only working alone.
The disclaimer here (and this is important): Not everyone who is important to you / who you love is the right source for the support you’ll benefit from. Your family who want the best for you may not be the ones who will’get’ your entrepreneurial idea. In fact, their way of ‘support’ may feel discouraging if for them it’s about protection and playing safe – an example that I’ve seen in some of the groups I’ve participated in. The solution here? Match the right supportive network to what you are looking to achieve. A single source won’t do it – but if you (are starting to) recognise that there can be strength in numbers… you should have a great journey finding your tribe(s) when it comes to achieving your varying goals. Good luck!
I’d love to know your experiences in relation to the above… do comment on below the blog!
If you would like to know more about some of the supportive sources I can provide, read to the bottom.
Follow the links below to get involved with:
A FREE one on one career exploration session (via Skype): I offer these free 60-90 minute sessions with people who are truly ready to make progress not excuses. If your status quo is lighting you up right now then this isn’t for you… but if you are ready to make a shift from “fine” to “extraordinary – then feel free to book yourself a session (but be quick, these aren’t always available so if you don’t see a time slot that suits contact me via the website and I’ll let you know the next available slot)
A goal setting experiment on Facebook (request permission to join here): This is very new closed Facebook group – where we’re now exploring to see whether people will benefit from sharing their goals with like minded-people, on their journey towards their achievements. It’s about giving and receiving support in a positive way and if you like the idea of that, jump in here.
