What if you were to actually start saying what you think?
Wait. Let me qualify that.
Because a lot of what you think, if you are like the rest of us, are things you want to think twice about before speaking it out loud.
One of my favorite bumper stickers is: “Don’t believe everything you think.”
And it’s really true because all those programs running around inside your head, from early life, from past lives, from ancestors, from the collective unconscious. Not even your thoughts, really, but nonetheless they are flying around inside your head. So you don’t want to just say those because they are the thoughts inside your head.
I know there are times when I can actually hear (and almost see) the programs running in my mind about this or that: how I’m not good enough for that opportunity, how I’m being shut out of that group, how I’m not smart enough to figure that out . . .
(Though it can be helpful to write and say this programming out loud with the intention of getting it out of your head, releasing it, seeing how crazy it really is when heard in the light of day.)
Now that we’ve got that squared away, let’s get to the main point.
What if you were to say what you actually think?
What if you were to actually say what you really think?
What if you were to stop trying to make what you say sound like something that you think other people want to hear?
What if you were to allow yourself to just spit out what you’ve been holding back because it’s not what you think will make your business successful?
And you may be afraid that if you were to REALLY say what you think, you will repel people. You will irritate, annoy, or otherwise piss off some people. And you don’t want to do that.
THAT is an old story. It’s one of those ones I was just talking about running around inside your head that you don’t want to believe.
Not because it isn’t true. No, no, not that. Not because it isn’t true.
Because when you do start saying something powerful, someone will get irritated. Annoyed. Angry. They may call you crazy. Or harsh. Or irrational. Or irresponsible. They will at least think it, and if you do have a big enough voice, a big enough platform, a big enough reach, they will also start saying it so that you will hear it.
Other people, your people, on the other hand, will wake up. Sit up. Ears perked up, rubbing their eyes, saying halleluiah, finally! Finally someone is speaking to me. Finally someone is saying something that MEANS something to me. Finally someone has stepped out of the drone, and starting saying something that stirs my blood, puts a fire under my ass, and makes me pay attention.
Finally. And thank you.
Because in the world of vanilla messages, where everyone sounds the same, it really is hard to stay awake. You just can’t help but start to nod off. And the problem is that most business coaches will teach you to make your message sound “appealing.”
What I want you to do is make your message sound real. Real like you mean it. Like you’ve been there. Like you have a BFO (big fat opinion) and it’s important that you share it.
Of course you need to tune into your people in order to be real with them.
But man, oh man, what you are looking for is this certain feeling. It’s a feeling you get all over your body when you hit the tone. The emotional tone that connects with the issue you are addressing, you are talking about, that gets to the realness of what is really at stake.
Most of the time it’s not all nicey nicey.
In fact, it can be almost spooky when you hit it. Because anyone can feel it. Not just the people in your “niche.” Anyone can feel it. Because it’s real. Because it’s true. Not because it’s “good marketing language.” But because you hit a place that will make almost anyone’s eyes swell up with tears.
So say what you really think. Not the programming from your parents or your well meaning but formula producing mentors. Say what you think. Say what you really feel. Go to the core. Speak the truth. Connect with your people in their secret thoughts.
It’s just you and them. And that’s where the magic lies.