By Cheryl Lucas Chairman’s Club Director
When I have written or spoken about my AIM journey previously I tended to focus on my road to Chairman’s Club or the beginning stages of my journey as a business owner partnering with The AIM Companies.
This time as I sat down to write it was different. I kept thinking about an interesting place in my journey. The middle. Around the same time I was reading a book by Brene Brown and I read something she had written that stood out “The middle is messy but its also where the magic happens.” This made so much sense! Let me tell you about how I found the “mystery in my middle”
The beginning of most journey’s are filled with new experiences, excitement and wonder. The beginning of my journey was much the same. I have clear and wonderful memories and experiences that today 20 years later continue to inspire and encourage me to keep on moving forward.
What I never anticipated or fully understood was what it would take and require from me to sustain a growing business. As I moved on in my journey there was an internal tension that emerged and interestingly hasn’t subsided as I moved through the different stages of growth personally and professionally. It has been an ongoing process, filled with learning’s, celebrations, wins and yes those uncomfortable revelations about myself around what I did not know. Each new phase brought new revelations and development points.
I have always had an internal drive and curiosity to uncover the things that were hindering or interfering with me and my business growing and moving forward. This drive allowed me to embrace the “messy” and dive into learn about what I was going through and how I could navigate the uncertainty and the uncomfortable-ness of growing a business and developing personally.
I cant tell you how many times when things were feeling tough I would step back and say “this is not what I signed up for.” Hindsight now allows me to see that in the midst of the mess “the mystery“ of my passion and calling were brought to the fore, even though it was not immediately recognisable.
In the middle I had a revelation that business is life and life is business. I also realised the current state of a business is a metaphor for the life of the owner or leader.
Wow! Convergence! My inner drive to develop, grow myself and help others do the same coupled with my love for all things entrepreneurial finally made sense to me.
Businesses, irrespective of the type or size are about its people, as people are the creators of culture. Meaning the condition of hearts and minds of the people and more specifically the owners and leaders of the business are what informs and influences culture. The culture of a business ultimately creates the future and longevity of businesses.
I wanted to support others create a culture of honor and excellence in their lives so they could live the best life possible for them! As I continued to support business owners and leaders in growing and cultivating their businesses based on a culture of honor, excellence and integrity my passion grew. I then started to notice whilst most people started off well with this as their vision in the beginning…. as they got to the middle ….. they got stuck in the messy and didn’t always make it through.
I asked myself the question: If operating from a culture of honor and excellence is so valuable how come most business owners and leaders don’t operate this way?
I realised the answer is complex, however it can also be answered simply. The monetary investment is low, however the personal price is too high – it is way beyond what most are prepared to pay, it means letting go of comfort zones, facing and conquering limits imposed by our thinking patterns, values, socialization and choosing to take a road less travelled.
My awareness’ around the growing of a sustainable business then came fast, it was not related to a specific kind of business or to people. However, it was specific to each individual business owner or leader, this was about the personal growth and skills development of the individual. This was “personal”. It was transformation on a mental and emotional level that changed everything and it was a conscious choice I was required to make .No one else could make the choice for me or do the follow through for me.
This led to the development of a business system that I’ve successfully implemented in all sizes and types of businesses and organisations in the public and private sectors. At the heart of this system is the developing of business owners, leaders and their teams with the intention of unearthing their passion and calling, while growing successful sustainable businesses. Whilst I have three established businesses the Minding your own Business™ is the framework that brings them all to life and ensures their sustainability. Whilst the system has been developed for business owners in my network marketing business MLM and direct selling world. I see how it transforms people no matter where they are planted.
So many years on, challenges still arise, different ones and these still create uncomfortable moments. I now know these are growth moments. So what I want to do is encourage you. Are you in the messy middle? Are you in a development and growth moment? If so , keep going and keep in mind in this growth moment is the discovery of your mystery. Are you willing to open yourself up to grow yourself so you can keep moving through?
I want to encourage you to reconnect with why you started out on the Aim journey and remind you Your business will not grow unless you choose to grow as a person. If you want to lead others, you have to lead yourself first.
I want to encourage you with my story of how I found my mystery in the middle .
Cheryl is a Transformational Coach, Coach Trainer and Business Development specialist. Her passions is to equip individuals, businesses and organisations to thrive in all areas of life and in Body, Soul and Spirit.
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