Edges And Angles
I had a conversation the other day with a very new and very wise friend. We were talking about our businesses and the head and heartache of entrepreneurship -- something still fresh and uncomfortable for me and my corporate upbringing.
During our call, I filled four pages of my notebook with insights I hadn’t considered. Or, ideas I did have at one point, but which I hadn’t thought of in this way; through that lens. It was awesome. And one thing that came up for me, through our talk, was the idea of edges and angles.
I don’t know about you, but when I feel fear or uncertainty about my own path, I look outside myself (sometimes desperately) for what others are doing on their paths. Maybe they have it all figured out. And even better...maybe they have an overpriced program I can buy that will teach me their ways. It makes me ache just thinking about how easily and often I fall into that trap.
My most recent bout has been marketing myself on LinkedIn. Following all of the “best practices” for reaching out to prospective clients and partners.
First do ‘a’, followed immediately by ‘b’ to connect with dream client ____.
Spend hours searching for _____ by following processes ‘x’ and ‘y’.
Make sure to ‘1’, ‘2’ and ‘3’ all over other peoples’ feeds so they know I care about them.
And because I’m a fantastic rule-follower, I did all the things in all the right ways. And yes, I’ve gotten some traction and a couple of new people into my circle. Are they my people? Am I theirs?
Maybe.
Maybe not.
Edges and angles. That’s the phrase I coined about this, when talking with my new friend. And what I mean is this: in a world where I wake at 5:30am every day with a jolt of wonder and curiosity about where Enlivened Studios is headed, I am far more creative and mentally well, frankly, without the rigidity I convince myself I need.
Because, you know, hardened edges and angles get things done! Rules and lists and business plans; sharpened pencils and long hours; blood, sweat and…(you get the point).
That’s what we’re taught, isn’t it? Edges and angles bring success, profit, growth. And we’ll all be big and great when we make it. When we get there.
Get where, exactly?
Is there a place we’re all meant to arrive?
Something to complete? Brush our hands together and claim we’re “done”?
I’m not interested in that, really. Because aliveness is in the becoming of things, not in the final destination. We EnlivenUp! in process, not product. When tenacity is in relationship with authenticity, not separate from it.
Let me be clear: my hands are still on the wheel. I have goals and direction; a vision for how I’ll be of service with conscious leaders, women entrepreneurs, creatives/artists/dreamers. But I’d much prefer to work with softened process than edges and angles.
