Have you ever been in a situation where you felt awkward or uncomfortable?

Of course, looking back afterward, you can see how you could have handled things differently, but in the moment, an alternative was not obvious. Let me give you a simple example to ponder.

I attended a speech some time ago, where a very tall man was the presenter. As he took the stage, he was provided a microphone and a stool. I watched as he hunkered down to sit on the stool, then switched to leaning. He continued to slouch and drape and fidget with the stool the entire time he was talking. It wasn’t great for him and it was, unfortunately, distracting to the audience also.

I asked him afterward why he kept messing with the stool, which clearly did not fit with his very tall stature. He said, “I don’t know. It was there. I thought I had to use it.”

How much of your life are you spending doing something just because you think you should?

At times we are plodding along and doing what we think we are supposed to, without contemplating whether it’s truly the best fit.

I’ve been doing the same thing myself. I thought I needed to do my video blog in a certain fancy and consistent setting. I got the impression it’s what I was “supposed to do.” Surely there is a group of successful people who have done it in that way.

But when I stepped back and evaluated how I’ve been feeling about the videos, I noticed I felt too constrained in the space. The ideas and thoughts weren’t flowing as well as when the initial concept took shape in my head. I don’t want to feel like I’m a puppet on a little stage. I want you to get the most out of our time together and that includes a transfer of energy from me to you that I feel was lacking.

So, now that I’ve realized this, I’m giving myself permission to do as I please — to align how I work with who I am. I know I can provide more value working in a way that feels more fluid. I don’t want to sit at that desk anymore. I want to capture the ideas on the fly, as they come to me. I can bring you along wherever I am in the world and when the mood strikes me. It’ll be better for both of us.

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#AskLikeAnAuctioneer