08Jun 2018 by aryask@gmail.com

Getting to that point

leadership, purpose, self-awareness
some time ago I met an executive of a tech startup who was cooking up some wicked idea. He wanted to grow his company and was facing high turnover and low engagement in his team. He wanted more speed and steam in employees and his ultimate goal was to hit the billion-dollar exit within 2 years. That was the top of the mountain. His whole aim was to "get to that point." He admitted that he's unhappy but that's the life of a startup. I asked him, "who said?" He replied, "everyone!" I asked, "What if you could preserve your joy and vitality and get to the billion, within 5 years? Would you still aim for 2yrs and no joy?" Without a blink, he said, "2 years." I asked, "why?"…
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27Mar 2018 by aryask@gmail.com

Letting go from the mountain top

purpose, self-awareness, storytelling, uncertainty
He was hanging on the edge of the mountain peak. An eagle with flappy ears was standing at the very tip. It leaped around and perched on a stone just above him. It was leaping and perching, leaping and perching. Finally, it perched just over his head and its butthole was hanging just over him. He was terrified this bird would soon shit on him. He zoomed into its butthole which had feathers around it. He feared for his life and had to make a choice: either get shit on by this inappropriate bird or let go and die off the mountain. He looked down and there was a sea of clouds. He rapidly looked back up at the eagle, down, up again.  Somehow he decided it’s better to just…
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19Jan 2018 by aryask@gmail.com

sail with the sea

purpose
A clear purpose inspires courage, patience, optimism, and devotion. It allows you to sift through distractions and get the right information at the right time, apply the right effort in the right way. And no one can judge that for you but your own inner being. Like a lighthouse waiting by the shore, nobody can affect where it stands. Not even you. Don't grab at waves, sail with the sea, and never forget why you started the journey.
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01Jan 2018 by aryask@gmail.com

Achieving stability in 2018

goals, purpose
As long as there are goals there will be people who don't achieve them. There are two reasons why goals don't get achieved. Either you don't believe in it or 2. you believe in it but are too lazy or afraid to act on it. It's important to first know your purpose: your core belief, your personal mission. A goal is what we pursue and purpose is why we pursue it. The "why" is our source of stability regardless of circumstance. three things make a purpose that endures: it's bigger than you, you believe in it 100%, and it inspires action. I love AirBnB's mission: to help anyone belong anywhere. I founded SeeingPotential with the mission to inspire growth in people and their organizations and it fuels me every day.…
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