We are not lemmings (or sheep)

In fourth grade science class, we watched a Disney nature documentary about the migration of lemmings. I still vividly remember the aerial view of this mass of lemmings scurrying along the path and, as they came to the edge of the cliff, leaping after each other into the ocean to eventually flounder and drown.

Maybe that’s where the first seed was planted in my head that it might not be a good idea to follow the crowd. 🤔

So I did things like dropping out of law school after 1.5 years. Moving to Japan, where I was an “outsider.” Opting to go to INSEAD — at the time, a little known business school in France — instead of applying to US brand name schools.

I didn’t know how things would play out, if they were the “right” decisions. It certainly wasn’t comfortable to be making choices that felt like I was falling behind. (At one point after getting my MBA, I was working as an administrative temp. 😩)

But since we can’t change past decisions, I like to play a game where I create a timeline of the main events of my life and come up with a meaning for why things happened the way they did. It helps me be grateful for my choices:

For example, although I was miserable at law school, I met two of my best friends there.

After business school, I felt lost as I didn’t want a typical MBA job. Now, I geek out thinking about business and love to spend a Saturday afternoon reading marketing and strategy books. 🤓 (Oh, and INSEAD is ranked among the world’s top business schools.)

The drudgery of that temping job inspired my ideas around employee engagement and getting into a flow state.

Here’s the thing: We live in a time of incredible abundance, with unprecedented access to talent, capital and technology to tackle interesting problems.

And yet so many super-smart, capable people are living in survival mode, settling for less. Why?

Futurist Peter Diamandis says it’s because ‘We’re local and linear thinkers in an exponential world.’ Meaning, we’re hyper-focused on the reality we see around us, i.e. what already exists.

I know, life seems hard when you have endless responsibilities and stress, with seemingly no escape route. But what if you could shift your beliefs, even a little.

What if you could believe that it’s possible:

✅ To do work that matters, that nourishes you with a sense of meaning and purpose.

✅  To focus your brainpower on learning, generating ideas and solving interesting challenges (instead of petty politics and paperwork).

✅  To have the mobility to work from anywhere, experiencing different cultures and seeing the sights of the world.

What if you could get excited about the possibilities — just knowing that they exist, even if they don’t seem immediately possible.

No matter your current situation, it can change dramatically: One of my executive clients was working in such a toxic environment that he experienced a kind of PTSD  after leaving. Now he’s leading a rock star team, on his way to creating a visionary 10X business, and pinches himself daily, asking, “Is this for real!?”

It’s never too late: Another client, a 70+ year old MD, just found an ideal role where he gets to use both his clinical and business expertise.

Why not try my little game:

1️⃣ Draw 10 or more dots on a piece of paper.

2️⃣ Label them with your important life decisions or milestones.

3️⃣ Find at least one positive thing that came out of each one.

You have everything you need to create new possibilities.

p.s. Influence Mastery Accelerator is my new 60-day group coaching program to help top performers activate their inner power so they can show up more boldly, bounce back quicker and influence others to action.

Would you like a taste of what’s possible for you? Click here to schedule a time for us to talk.