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Toughen Up Buttercup

Sep 30, 2024

One of the hardest things I have found as a changemaker is taking the hits as a challenger of the status quo. 

When you start on your changemaker journey, you dream of finding fulfilment, experiencing meaning and leading worthwhile change - whilst making the world truly better.  And then you start trying to do just that.  Suddenly you are faced with what it actually takes.  Basically chaos.
 
Beyond the good intentions, this path isn't for the faint hearted. There is still so much resistance to the actual depth of transformation we need. For all the talk of change out there, it always amazes me the time, energy and head space humans invest in remaining exactly where they are - even if it makes them miserable. And as is the case at the moment, is leading to catastrophic consequences. It often seems like resistance is an art form in itself.
 
As a result, too often our well intentioned quest ends in burn out, self-doubt and being disillusioned.  But that is not how it needs to be.
 
To make it, you have to be honest and equip yourself - for the mission that it really is rather than the one you imagine it to be. So that you can dress for the party you are actually going to rather than the illusion of paradise in your head. As my mum recently said to me: 'You have to toughen, buttercup!'
 
This is what I wish I had known from the start:
  • The job description is to disrupt the status quo. But people are afraid to go beyond what they know. So expect that your kind heart full of possibility will find itself confronted with rampant apathy.  Know that your well-meaning words will struggle to overcome the resistance that is the norm. Prepare yourself for your visions of the future seemingly dying at the altar of the excuses and passive aggressiveness of those who don't want to change.
  • Transformation is messy and uncomfortable.  It calls us to go and look under all the rocks we would rather keep buried.  Not to mention facing all the elephants in the room we are doing everything to stay blind to. But people don't want to think about what they are doing and creating.  Because they are not sure they will like what they find. 
  • Leave your illusions of perfection at the door. You will have to constantly challenge existing patterns of behaviour that others are really attached to.  So that you can forge the way to new opportunities.   But people will find it easier to shut you down than to go beyond the safety of their existing frames of reference. And so that means that you will constantly get rejected and shamed for it - sometimes outright, sometimes subtly.  
 
So what does make the difference:
  • Energy is your lifeline. Consciously invest in anchoring yourself in hope, presence, compassion and inspiration. Changemaking basically means being the only lighthouse in a vast ocean of negativity. Ask yourself 'how can you keep nurturing your own positive energy - no matter how bad the storm?'
  • Extreme self-Leadership is where it is at. Know why you are doing this, play to your strengths and find the places where you have permission to change things. Ask them 'how can I help?' And know that if they say they want change, it doesn't mean they have signed up to the uncomfortableness of it.
  • Understand the human in front of you. Become an activator of dreams. We all want something - find out what they would love to happen. Ask together 'how can they create more of the future they want to see by following you?'

Until Next Time,

Louise

Until Next Time,

Louise

WE ARE ALL BEING CALLED TO ADVENTURE.

We truly believe that we can do this.  That, if enough of us commit to being purpose-led changemakers and to evolving the world by being uniquely ourselves, we can create a new world - where we all flourish together deeply valuing prosperity, people and planet.  

What it takes is for us to remember who we are really here to be, do what we are here to do and make that difference only we can make. By igniting our potential, actualising our purpose and up-levelling our impact through our lives, work and leadership.

So join us by signing up below to Our Broadcasts From The New to receive weekly inspiration through our shorts, letters, messages and information about our programmes and whatever else we feel called to create to support you.  Look forward to being on this adventure together!

Louise Le Gat, Founder Of The Purpose-Led Company

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Louise Le Gat

Founder. Speaker. Facilitator.

Louise is the Founder of The Purpose-Led Company. She guides leaders who are at a pivotal moment to become the purpose-led changemakers we need now - by supporting them to ignite their true potential, actualise their unique purpose and step into their next level impact.