What’s your point of view? Are you expressing yourself, your opinion? Are you interesting? Are people listening? If someone else were speaking the way that you speak, would you pay attention? Would you be drawn toward them? Would you want to know more?
Your point of view is the second layer of your message. Recall that the first layer of your message is how you respond to the question, “what do you do?” or how you introduce yourself, and as I talked about last time, it should be more about your Tribe and how you help them, than about you. [Please see last week’s article if you missed it: “Nail Your Elevator Speech.”]
Your point of view becomes compelling when you express something that galvanizes people, that stirs within your Tribe a sense of purpose and direction. While your POV includes opinions, opinions are not enough. (Think of some of the opinionated people you know who you do not care to listen to in order to get what I mean.) Speaking to your audience about something both you and they care about continues to be key.
And the more tangible the better. The more you can help us to feel, taste it, touch it, the better. Feel it especially. Because it’s in moving us, touching our hearts, helping us open to something significant, that you will grab our attention – and then keep it.
I often ask: “What do you want to create or see created that hasn’t been created yet?” to help my clients get focused on their point of view. You can also ask: “What do you want to see change in the world?” though that’s a pushing against statement that’s inherently tied to what is rather than being truly visionary and creating the new.
Both invite you to dig deeper inside yourself to WHY you are doing your business anyway. What is this about for you? What purpose do you have? What are you contributing? How do you want people’s lives to change as a result of working with you? When you really have made an impact, what will that mean on a larger scale?
What will you be known for 5 years from now, 10 years, 20 years, after you’re gone?
I was stirred to a larger vision when I heard Gregg Braden speak in the fall of 2010 about the New World Age now emerging. Even though I had heard about 2012, the dawning of the Age of Aquarius and the term “New Age” since I was a kid, none of it meant much to me until then. From a scientific point of view, based in history, indigenous traditions, and astronomy not astrology, Braden demonstrated the significance of the time we are living through. He stated (and you can read about this in his book, Fractal Time) that what we do now – in our lifetimes – sets in motion the energy of the next 26,000 years. That blew my mind. And it set me on a course of doing what I do today.
Everything I do aims to inspire and educate people in the healing arts and transformational fields to get how important their work is, to own their value, to get their work out and make a bigger impact. Because that’s what I believe will make a significant difference in the New World Age now emerging.
I assert that our world will benefit when increasing resources are dedicated to holistic healing, personal and spiritual growth, and deeper and more satisfying relationships – what I consider “More Life” industries. It’s time to stop putting our resources into industries that pollute the air, water, and earth, foster addictions, and promote war.
That’s my stand in the world, the purpose that I speak for, the larger mission that inspires all of my work. It’s what gets me out of bed in the morning and sometimes keeps me up working late at night. It’s my fuel. Every entrepreneur needs something to make it all worth it.
That point of view will draw some people toward me, and repel others. That is precisely as it should be. If you are not repelling people, then you are probably not saying something really important. Anything that potent, powerful, and aimed to either create change or create something new that’s significant, will attract and repel. You cannot do one without the other.
Think about that for a moment. Because too many people I know are driven by their need to be liked. That’s deep conditioning – the need to be liked. Your desire for and fear of visibility and recognition. To be seen and heard. Desire and fear, side by side.
Your point of view shows up in your blog, your ezine articles, your talks, your posts on social media, your pod casts, your webinars, etc. These are all great places for you to explore and express your point of view. Low risk 😉 opportunities for self expression.
To get started on the second layer of your message, ask yourself:
- What really matters to me?
- What do I want to be known for?
- What do I want to see created in the world?
- What type of change drives my work?
- Why does what I do matter?
- What’s the bigger purpose of what I and my business are about?
- Why the heck should I get up every morning and do this?
- Why should anyone pay attention?
And then remember your Tribe, your audience.
- Why does this matter to them?
- Why should they pay attention to what you are saying?
- How are you all in this together?
- What positive results and outcomes does this mean for them?