Connection and Surrender
By Jessica Albon
That I’ve called this article “Connection and Surrender” might have you scratching your head. If you’ve been reading my emails for any length of time, you know they’re usually jam-packed with useful, tangible tips. Things you can apply right this minute to get better results in your business.
And yet…
There’s another side to the work we do. There’s another piece of this puzzle of stepping up, lighting the way, connecting with your audience, and Thriving Your Tribe.
Today I’m feeling called to talk about that piece.
It’s all well and good to have a mission. To have a message. To have something you must say or you’ll burst. To have something you must help people with or you’ll feel you’ve failed.
All too often, we let our passion for the *message* blind us to the truth: no one’s listening.
We keep circling around, shouting our message at the top of our voice. We insist, “They need to hear this.” We cry, “This will change your life.”
We get frustrated when it feels like no one is taking action. When we see the people around us continue to struggle with something we know we could help them with.
And so we shout louder. Listen!! We demand. You need this!!! We proclaim.
When we’re missing this piece, our marketing has everything in common with shouting. And it gets lost in the sea of noise.
Because when everyone is shouting, no one gets heard. When everyone is trying to Live On Mission and Lead the Way and Show the One True Path… all that happens is people cover their ears and stare at their feet.
What if I told you that you don’t have to shout to be heard? That you don’t have to declare your passion at the top of your lungs at every moment.
In fact, what if I told you that the only way to be really, truly heard… is to stop shouting altogether?
That seems nonsensical on the surface. How will you ever be heard over all the noise of modern day life if you aren’t shouting?
But you can sense the truth in this. Think of a roomful of noisy children. The teacher shouts and they keep playing. The teacher whispers, or dims the lights, or raises a hand in the air, and immediately, all eyes are on the teacher.
Contributing to the noise only ever equals more noise for our people to ignore.
Which leaves us with only one option. Silence.
Shhh…
Rather than shout, rather than proclaim, rather than issuing rallying cries: connect and surrender.
Connect with your people. Surrender to their wisdom. Accept that as long as you keep trying to force an agenda, they’ll continue to retreat.
When we listen, when we connect, when we surrender, we can hear. And then we can be heard.
What do you think? Is there wisdom to be gleaned from listening to your people?
Speaking of listening, I’d love to hear from you. Where are you feeling stuck when it comes to being heard and seen? What has today’s article inspired you to consider?
