01.03.2023

Beholden to THE SHOULD | Rush | Give Something Away

Hello there! Welcome to my weekly LEAPS. 

You’re receiving this email because you subscribed to my weekly Wednesday feature or our mailing list. Every Wednesday, I share 5 things using our LEAPS approach: 

Learn: something new or an idea
Energy: something that’s creating an energy (good or bad) - a word
Action: something to do
Processing: a question to consider
Shout out: something or someone that I want to celebrate or acknowledge

HOW BALANCED IS YOUR SH*T?
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LEARN
Something Worth Sharing

Beholden to THE SHOULD

I love words, as many of you will know, but if I could ban any word from the English language it might have to be ‘SHOULD’ (and shouldn’t as part of it). It’s definitely at the bottom end of my list and is regularly a word that makes me shudder when I hear it - I believe it has a great deal to answer for. For me personally I had to learn to stop being beholden to THE SHOULD: ‘I should be the best’, ‘I should create X’, ‘I should say yes’, ‘I should weigh Y’, ‘I should put up with Z’, ‘I should be quiet’, ‘I should take on the job of W’, … you get the point, there was a huge list.

I wanted to dig a little deeper so that when my clients say things like “I’d love to be / have / do X, but I feel I should do Y…” I could understand why it was unhelpful for them and grating on me. As often is the case, when you dig deeper the clues lead to the answer. The etymology of SHOULD lies in the associated word SHALL, which reveals that it originated from an Old English word ‘SCYLD’. Now here’s the gem; the word scyld originally meant ‘guilt’. ‘Hey presto’, the learn this week is that every time we say (or even think of) the word SHOULD, we are being guilted into something. Should, in fact, was understood as meaning “I owe / he owes”. Next time you think or say ‘should’, just ask yourself: “who or what do I OWE - and therefore what may I feel guilty about?”.

When you stop feeling beholden to THE SHOULD, you may find your shoulders drop a little, the tension reduces and you can begin to do / be / have what you choose. This is being deliberate.

ENERGY
Focusing on an emotion or energy; a stand-out word / s

Rush

I see this word in action, often. Many of us rush around like the proverbial headless chicken. I wonder at times if the ‘headless’ part would actually help us - as the drive to rush can often come from our head-stuff.

Anyway, back to the word and it’s meaning. RUSH originates from a Latin word recusare which actually meant "make an objection against; decline, refuse, reject; be reluctant to".

The meaning "do something quickly" is from much later - the 1650s, hence "to move or act with undue eagerness or without deliberation or preparation".

ACTION
Something small that you can do that might make a big difference

Give Something Away

I had a fabulous time last weekend sorting out a wardrobe - consequently filling two large bags which have been donated to charity. I’m encouraging you to ‘give something away - for free’. Now this could be old clothes, but equally it might be advice or time.

PROCESSING
A question to think about and consider (you can discuss this with someone or write your thoughts down)

“What sh*t would you most like to get sorted in your work / career / professional life?”

This is almost a research question as we’ve recently come across a large number of people struggling to progress their career, are unhappy at work or just don’t know what they really want to be doing.

Whatever comes to mind - even if you feel they are unrealistic hopes, big or small, I’d love for you to think about this and send me your thoughts for:

• What would you really like to sort / change about your professional / career / business / work life?

Drop me a line with work / career / professional life thoughts

[NB: I’ll continue sharing your thoughts (without names) each week at the end of LEAPS. See below for some of the things from last week…]

SHOUT OUT
Who / what I think deserves recognition, my gratitude or to be celebrated.

Catching Up

Catching up with old friends is just joyous. It doesn’t matter whether they are old work colleagues or from your childhood, to reconnect and sit with friends you’ve had for a good while is lovely. Equally, it’s fabulous to catch up with newer contacts and just see how they’re doing and what’s going on in their world.

BONUS GIFT FOR YOU
This week’s little extra for you - from me

Last week, I shared a visual for The Go-Giver by Bob Burg and John David Mann. As it was such a gem, I decided I’d do another in the series - this time it’s The Go-Giver Leader. I think you’ll enjoy it!

The visual below is available to you for free (for 7 days) using code: GIVINGLEADER when you check out. Access is via the link below.

The artwork featured in this section is all copyrighted and for private use only. If you wish to use these online, in blogs / features or in presentations etc - we are happy to discuss licences. Please get in touch. The downloads do not have watermarks.

If you’d like to discuss having your ideas, business or culture captured visually - you can also let me know via email.

Don’t forget to book your FREE place on one or more of the SORT YOUR SH*T taster sessions…

Just a few of the responses from the question last week about dream (unrestricted) BUSINESSES IDEAS shared with me during the week:

• photographer

• carpenter / joiner

• radio presenter

• scaffolder in Rome

• holiday agent

These are VERY far from what the contributors are currently doing now! Interesting that some are very creative and I loved the Italian scaffolder!

LEAPS is a process used by our team and clients all the time - and even my own family on a daily basis. 

I’ll be sharing a set of LEAPS each week with you and encourage you to do your own version:

• L: what have you learned?

• E: what’s your energy / feeling word

• A: what’s one thing you need to do?

• P: what are you thinking / processing?

• S: who or what can you shout out?