Don't Look Back, You're Not Going That Way

This past weekend my husband and I were roller blading the Hollywood Broadwalk with my four-year-old, who's just learning to ride a scooter, which is an adrenaline rush, terrifying and stressful... for us- he’s fearless! Amidst the swarm of bikes, bladers, and tourists oblivious to designated lanes, my husband and I constantly remind our four year old son to keep his eyes up and forward. “Keep looking in front of you!” He was tempted to keep looking back at us for approval or check to see where we are, but every time he did he’d start swerving into a group of tourists or into an oncoming bicycle.

It’s kind of like that in business. There’s always a million distractions of competition, shiny objects (like that kid with an ice cream come), or just the endless possibilities in front of you, but if you lose sight of your destination you will get derailed or crash. The lesson is clear: maintaining focus on your goals is paramount to achieving them.

As leaders, how can we encourage our teams to keep looking up and forward? How do we make sure our teams know we have their back and empower them to keep going without constantly seeking validation?

If you feel overwhelmed by all the hats you wear and all the pressures, can you pause and look up at where you’re going? Inspire yourself with the potential you know you have and ignite the passion for why you do what you do.

Personally, I've struggle with wanting to do so many more things with RISE and not having the bandwidth. Sometimes it can be depressing to not be able to keep up with my own expectations. It is a good reminder to look up and forward at all the lives we are changing for the better and the reason we RISE together- the scholarships, the career opportunities, the connections, the business partnerships made, the recognition and awards and achievements - the future of our industry depends on us to continually lift up the best people our industry has to offer. And that is where we are going! 

So, as you journey through today, keep your eyes up and forward. Remind yourself of your destination, empower your team to do the same, and together, let's continue to RISE towards a brighter future.