TrueVoice Tuesday: On Your Terms: 10.29.24

A Truth (one thought about sharing your TrueVoice):

Your superpower is not your stats. Or your skills. Or your surface level depths. No, your superpower is your story.  

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A Tip (one thing I’ve picked up from others this week):

“If you’re not willing to change, you won’t.” – Chris Stathos

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A Take (a strong opinion or nitpick):

 We act as if:

Playing the victim will make it feel better.

It’s not our responsibility.

Someone will pick us.

There’s always tomorrow.

Blaming the boss or the economy will justify it.

Ignoring the whispers of our desire will quiet them.

There’s an actual shortcut.

Someone got a luckier break.

And the list goes on.

Of course, we can also act as if the inverse of all this is true, too.

Might lead to some slightly more interesting stories and outcomes.   
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A Tale ( with a book update):

The picture was pretty terrible. 

But I snapped it while walking into Arrowhead Stadium last Wednesday evening. 

Actually, the old sponsorship guy in me wants to correct myself.

GEHA Field at Arrowhead. 

It’s such a beautiful building, an iconic venue. 

One I walked into for 80ish home football games with an All Access credential around my neck. 

It’s seen a lot more winning since I left than when I was there, to be clear, ha. 

But this time was different. 

Instead of a suit, I had on a pair of Nikes, a v-neck t-shirt, and a Vuori blazer that could double as pajamas.

That’s not really the point, though.

I was there with our Guild team, being recognized as 1 of the 45 companies named the Best Places to Work in Kansas City.

It came with a side dish of buying a $2,000 table, but it was a wonderful experience for our team.

As I got in the car and headed home, I called Brooke. 

And the phrase that just spilled out was, “I was glad to be there on my terms.” 

It sounds a bit more harsh in print than it was in my spirit, but there was this deep sense of gratitude in the resilience, joy in the struggle, and pride in the recognition. 

The next day, as the calendar colluded, we kicked off our two day annual retreat. 

One of the activities was Tina, our Senior Content Specialist, leading us through a Values walk through the prairie outside at the Woodneath Library. 

The original intent was simply to break up the sit and talk in a conference room sessions, but as soon as she started talking, I could tell we were in for something way better. 

She had cards, journals, and these cool quotes. 

And a handout that talked about the native prairies in yester-Missouri. 

And then a piece of copy that bypassed the brain and went right to the heart.

“Like the prairie, Guild has deep roots that have grown slowly and steadily through seasons of abundance, fire, and renewal. Like the prairie, Guild is a rarity.” 

I’m not sure about you, but my brain and body went to the fire when she said that.

Not the abundance.

Or the renewal.

But the fire. 

“Damn, yes, there’s been so much fire.” 

Mistakes.

Misreads.

Hardships.

Hard shit. 

The fire is where we’re forged.

The fire is when we’re forced to face ourselves.

The fire is why we fight for the good. 

The fire feels frenetic. 

But it’s the way to renewal. 

It’s the way to deeper roots.

It’s the way to slow growth.

Of course, what’s true in this business example is even truer in our lives.

The fire is a gift.

Don’t waste it. 

Your deep roots need it to thrive. 

With a full, fiery week, I chopped a bit of book wood in some concepts and dot connections, but for the second straight week, I can use the update below…

Words weren’t added to the plot of the book, but they were most definitely added to the plot of my life. 
 
18,000 words and some change are in the rearview mirror. 

A book will still be birthed. 

But it sat on the shelf this week. 

Again. 

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