What does it take to be a leader? Learn from bSMART founder Meagan Hooper in this 14 part series about the core values every woman needs to be a leader and decision-maker in her industry. Listen to the audio podcasts, watch the masterclass videos, review the mentorship notes, or fill out the workbooks to help you accomplish your personal and professional goals.
bSMART believes the first step to becoming a leader is having a vision for yourself and others. However, society often limits our potential based on external factors such as your age, race, or gender, which in turn limits your belief about what's possible for you. It's time we take back the vision for our lives and become the leaders we're meant to be. Learn how you can create the vision you want for your life today.
MENTORSHIP NOTES
Having a vision for your life is the very first step to becoming the leader you’re meant to be and having the life you want, but it’s a practice often overlooked. It’s easy to fall into the trap of being and doing what everyone around us thinks is appropriate for our lives. The problem is that other people often don’t take into account our gifts, talents, and passions.
While women represent 51% of the population and 47% of the U.S. labor force, we’re only 25% of senior managers, 10% of top earners, and 6% of senior executives. I believe that when you’re expressing your gifts and talents, you become a leader and decision-maker in your industry; and this world desperately needs leaders like you. I’m going to share a quick and easy way to take back the vision for your life so you can become the leader you're meant to be.
Let's get started...
LIMITING BELIEFS
Ever since you were born, society, your friends, family, and even the media have been telling you the type of life you should have based on where you come from and what you look like. External characteristics such as your age, race, and gender have influenced what other people think is possible for you.
The truth is that your potential is unlimited. What might seem out of the realm of possibility now could be completely reasonable in ten or 20 years. It's very important you look at the way society and those around you have determined the vision for your life. This is often called unconscious bias. Typically, when we hear this phrase, we think about how others view us in limiting ways based on unintentional stereotypes.
I believe the unconscious bias we have toward ourselves - the belief about what is and is not possible for us - is our biggest limiting factor and what we have to overcome. So, how exactly do you overcome years of conditioning you’re not even aware of? Imagination.
IMAGINATION
When you were little, daydreaming and imagination were second nature to you. But as you got older, your analytical brain didn't have time as the realities of school, work, and life set in. However, your childhood ability to daydream - the unlimited use of your imagination - was the key not only to your personal growth and evolution, but also in achieving what you wanted for your life. Your imagination is still the method by which you can create the future you want for yourself.
You’ve probably heard the adage, ‘you can't be what you can't see.’ In all of my years interviewing successful women, I've learned that the real secret is ‘you can't be what you can't see for yourself.’ Your imagination is the key to identifying your goals and making them a reality. And the truth is, what you're imagining, it doesn't exist right now. Your goals, they haven't been achieved. There's never been anyone like you and so there is no existing blueprint for what you can and are meant to do. To find your blueprint, you have to look inside of yourself.
bSMART EXERCISE
Below is a quick and easy exercise you can do every day in as little as five minutes. I recommend you do it at least once a week to check-in with yourself and create time and awareness of what your imagination is calling you towards.
Exercise:
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Sit in a comfortable chair and close your eyes.
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Take three deep breaths and relax each part of your body.
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Picture your life ten years from now in each of the below categories:
- Home
- Relationships
- Friends
- Career
- Finances
- Travel
- Relaxation
- Health
- Spirit
*Now, I want you to do the exercise again, but this time, challenge yourself to go ten times bigger in what you imagine for yourself.
Go ahead and repeat the exercise now.
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Picture your life ten years from now in each of the below categories:
- Home
- Relationships
- Friends
- Career
- Finances
- Travel
- Relaxation
- Health
- Spirit
What did that feel like? Were you embarrassed? Did you feel guilty or ashamed imagining such wonderful things for your future? Share with the bSMART community by posting in our private mentorship group what you learned from this visualization exercise.
EMBARRASSMENT
It's normal to have feelings of embarrassment or shame when you start to picture your future in a big way. This is because we know that what we're picturing for ourselves is different from what those in our community imagine for us. We worry that if we truly go after what we want, embracing who we're meant to be and all of those possibilities, then we might be rejected by our friends or family by being different.
For some of us, we’re worried that if we're truly happy, fulfilling our potential, then somehow people will be jealous of us, reject us, or not want to be in our life. So we play small and tuck our dreams aside, making sure to protect our relationships instead of achieving our potential.
The truth is that when you do achieve your potential, you give everyone around you permission to do the same. What could be more loving than to give those in your life the freedom to manifest their unlimited potential?
*Now, I want you to do the exercise one more time. Only this time, I want you to go even ten times bigger.
Go ahead and repeat the exercise now.
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Picture your life ten years from now in each of the below categories:
- Home
- Relationships
- Friends
- Career
- Finances
- Travel
- Relaxation
- Health
- Spirit
How does that feel? Does it feel liberating? Are you excited by what you see? Are you a little scared? If so, then you're on the right track to identifying what life is calling you to live.
LIFE IS CALLING YOU
I believe that what you see for yourself when you go ten times and ten times bigger, is the life you're meant to be living. This is the vision that comes from inside of you. It’s what you're capable of; it’s what you can and should manifest in your life.
If every day you feel restless and think, "This isn't the life I'm supposed to be living," you're absolutely right. Your life is constantly calling you towards the life you're meant to be living, the life that expresses your true potential and what the world needs from you.
RESPONSIBILITY
It's time we take back the vision for our life from those who have imposed their view in big and small ways. It's time to look at how the media represents people who look like us and decide if that's the life we really want and the values that matter to us.
It's time to tell your friends, family, boss, and co-workers about the life you want for yourself, what you expect for yourself, and what you require for your life. It will take bravery, honesty, and courage on all our parts. It’s worth it; we will feel so fulfilled living the life we were meant to have and being the person we’re meant to be.
Write down everything you saw for yourself during the bSMART exercise. Look at this list every day and spend time imagining every day. Transfer the responsibility of your future from the people in your life to your inner imagination - your vision.
You might upset a few people, or you might lose a few friends. But you will gain new friends, and most importantly, you will have the life you were meant to live.
bSMART ACTION
I know firsthand that it isn't easy to become the person you were meant to be in the face of criticism or rejection. That's why I created the bSMART community. We believe in you and your dreams and we want to support you along the way.
If you would like support for what you see for yourself, take a few minutes to post in our private mentorship group about what you see for yourself in your future. Share what excites you that is ten times and ten times bigger than what other people see for you. The world needs the vision you have for yourself, and we're committed to you becoming the leader you’re meant to be.
MENTORSHIP SUMMARY
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Having vision for your life is the first step to becoming the leader you’re meant to be.
-
When you express your gifts and talents, you become a leader and decision-maker in your industry.
-
Society, friends, family, and even the media have been telling you the type of life you should have based on where you come from and what you look like.
-
Your imagination is the key to identifying your goals and making them a reality.
-
Where do you see yourself in ten years? Now go bigger.
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We worry we might be rejected by our friends or family if we’re different.
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It isn't easy to become the person you're meant to be in the face of criticism or rejection.
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When you achieve your potential, you give everyone around you permission to do the same.
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It's time to take back the vision for your life from those around you.
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The world needs the vision you have for yourself.
Women represent 51% of the population and 47% of the U.S. labor force. However, women represent only 25% of senior managers, 10% of top earners, and 6% of senior executives.
bSMART provides women mobile mentorship to become the leader you were meant to be.
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