Smart Women, LeBron James and the Need to Be You

By now, everyone knows that LeBron James, one of the world’s greatest basketball players, has left the Cleveland Cavaliers after 7 years. He’s finally made a decision to make the Miami Heat his new home where he will continue to exercise his passion, energy and talent for the game. LeBron took a lot of “heat” for his decision to leave his home state. You may be asking yourself, “Why should I care?” As I watched the reaction to his decision, it got me thinking about how Smart Women have similar situations in their life as well. Huh? LeBron James had a difficult decision to make. Stay in his home state and continue to play for the Cleveland Cavaliers or reach out of his comfort zone and try something new. He has publicly shared that winning a championship title is his greatest dream. He knew that he had to make decisions that were in alignment with his goals and that decision was not popular with many people around him. I’ve been supporting women for over 5 years in my coaching work and one theme that continues to run through women’s lives is the ability to give themselves “permission” to be who they are and pursue their Big Ideas, Dreams and Goals. I know women who work outside the home and want to be at home with their children and leave the workplace. There are also women who are at home and they have a strong desire to own a business and combine their love of family with business ownership. There are scores of women who have Big Ideas about what they’d like to do with their lives. And yet, many do not take the steps to make their Big Ideas, Dreams and Goals a reality. Why? You may be uneasy about what others will think of you or fear you will be perceived as selfish or not loyal to those who depend on you. You may have that familiar feeling of fear that creeps up every time you have a great idea. Remember, fear is a natural partner to creativity. When I was 29 years old and just beginning my journey as an entrepreneur, I had quite a few people who “encouraged” me to stay employed in my current job. I remember a family member saying, “Joy, don’t rock the boat.” This advice was out of love and caring for me but it wasn’t what I needed to hear. I knew that this was the only way for me to feel happy and fulfilled. How about you? Do you dream of doing something new or different with your life? Here are a few quick tips on how you can get started: 1. Take a Time Out – give yourself permission to take some quiet, peaceful time to reflect on what is missing from your life. Grab a pen and paper and jot down everything you feel abundant about in your life and then reflect on what would make it even more fulfilling. It hasn’t always been easy for me to blend my family with my business dreams and goals; however I’ve found a way to have both. Instead of thinking about how it won’t work, get creative and begin to think of how to make it possible. 2. Ask Yourself a Question – Am I doing what I want in my life or am I doing what other’s think I should be doing in my life? 3. Find Your Courage – Create a vision about how you would feel if you could have that goal or dream come alive in your life. Breathe that in for a moment. Create a vision board about your Big Idea, Dreams and Goals. This process helps to keep the momentum alive and it’s a visual reminder to those around you. I watched the interview with LeBron James when he announced his decision to join the Miami Heat. Some will say it was all about the money and I’d be foolish to think that it wasn’t a motivator. However, I noticed something different in the interview. LeBron felt a certain loyalty and sadness about leaving the Cavaliers. After all, he’d given them 7 years of his gifts and talent. He realized his dream is to be a part of something new, something bigger, something that would allow him to exercise his gifts in a bigger way. LeBron had to exercise his confidence and courage to embrace his own dream and take the steps to move closer to his vision. You have the opportunity to embrace your confidence and courage as well. You have permission to be exactly who you need to be, and make the necessary changes in order to live a life that is fueled with energy, passion and purpose. Anything is possible. Everything is waiting for you. *****