Great thinkers of the times are often yielded as heretics – Galileo, Leonardo DaVinci and Sir Isaac Newton for example, were all progressive thinkers who were ridiculed, chastised and sometimes imprisoned for their insights. History later proved that these contrarian thinkers had a profound impact on humankind.
A few weeks ago, I ordered a new book by one of my favorite contrarian speakers, Randy Gage. I’ve known Randy professionally for more than 15 years now and his outlook is such that you either love him or hate him. I fall in the first camp as time after time, Randy’s keen observations and intuitive actions are proven to be accurate. This newest book is near and dear to my heart since writing Upside in 2010; Randy’s book is entitled, Risky is the New Safe – The Rules have Changed.
One of the last sentences practically jumped off the page: “You must be willing to let go of who you are to become who you are meant to be.” I reread that sentence three times – wow! How many roles have we accepted throughout our lives because others expected us to? Or because we felt it was the only or best option? Then we wonder why we feel disconnected from our true selves.
Randy argues that to be authentic, we must constantly evolve. That to be who we are meant to be requires us to be bold, to think laterally and creatively, to question the status quo and to be a contrarian. To remain the same, to hold on to the past and to resist change is a certain path to failure and unhappiness.
What if you could let go of the roles that no longer serve you (or others!)? What would your life look or feel like if you knew you could not fail, that the only belief you needed is from yourself and that your individual path and journey are truly perfect? This is when your spirit is so focused that you cannot restrain or hide it. You are living who you are meant to be.
As 2012 begins to wind down, it’s an interesting question to challenge ourselves with for the New Year: What must I let go of in order to fulfill my spirit’s purpose? How can I become more of the person I am meant to be?
Allison Blankenship, http://www.allisonspeaks.com, http://www.UpsideTheBook.com
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