My dad called me Davy Crockett when I was young, although I can't recall having ever donned a coonskin cap. OK, once (as an adult), but what happens at Cracker Barrel stays at Cracker Barrel! Even though I was for the most part capless, I did dream of wrestling bears and fighting for a noble cause. In many ways I still do.
It is one thing to be called Davy Crockett and another to pretend to be Davy Crockett. It is far different, however, to find yourself thrust into a Davy Crockett role. Each of us wrestles bears. Whether we feel up to it or not - worthy or not, powerful or not, good enough or not - there are bears we are meant to wrestle. And no one can wrestle them for us.
The bottom line is that sometimes we just have to go for it (sorry 80's for stealing your cliche). We just have to do it (where are the Nike police?). We just have to BE IT!
Once again, I refer to Amy Cuddy's TED Talk, Your Body Language Shapes Who You Are. Cuddy transforms the concept of fake it 'til you make it. In a nutshell, this is the epiphany I had while watching Cuddy's talk. Fake it 'til you make it is about arrival - arrival to a status, a position, a strata. This arrival is EXTERNAL. Cuddy's concept of FAKE IT 'TIL YOU BECOME IT... is about transformation.
The bottom line is that sometimes we just have to go for it (sorry 80's for stealing your cliche). We just have to do it (where are the Nike police?). We just have to BE IT!
Once again, I refer to Amy Cuddy's TED Talk, Your Body Language Shapes Who You Are. Cuddy transforms the concept of fake it 'til you make it. In a nutshell, this is the epiphany I had while watching Cuddy's talk. Fake it 'til you make it is about arrival - arrival to a status, a position, a strata. This arrival is EXTERNAL. Cuddy's concept of FAKE IT 'TIL YOU BECOME IT... is about transformation.
Now there is a word I like! Unlike an external arrival,
TRANSFORMATION is an internal process
(with external impact).
(with external impact).
Transformation takes time. It is a journey. But after all, isn't life really most about the journey rather than the destination? It is this process that creates a Davy Crockett who, though he'd rather slip over the wall and run away, becomes the embodiment of courage and leadership in the face of overwhelming odds. It is this process that empowers a single mother to successfully spin the plates of provider, caregiver, disciplinarian and lover; especially when she feels like she's everything but a success! It is this process that enables a man to truly be a man; rather than the Madison Avenue image that is shoved down our playoff-watching throats! (Sorry, a little soap-box there... maybe for another post).
In the last post I wrote that Fake it 'til you make it smelled a little fraudulent? Well, let's deal with that. (Although I won't fully get there in this post). I don't want to dumb down to silly pop-psychology: I'm good enough, I'm smart enough, and doggone it, people like me. No they don't Stuart! (Now that dude is in Congress?!). Bumper-sticker theology is not far off . You've seen it on the back of a car driving 47 mph in the left lane: Be patient, God's not finished with me yet. Well, the tractor-trailer coming up behind at 80 mph may take care of that!
I'd like to take Cuddy's concept one step further. She took FAKE IT 'TIL YOU MAKE IT... and transformed it to FAKE IT 'TIL YOU BECOME IT... Let's go the next step and transform FAKE IT 'TIL YOU BECOME IT... to:
But that will be for next time. I leave you, for now, with a quote I love.
I'd like to take Cuddy's concept one step further. She took FAKE IT 'TIL YOU MAKE IT... and transformed it to FAKE IT 'TIL YOU BECOME IT... Let's go the next step and transform FAKE IT 'TIL YOU BECOME IT... to:
BE IT 'TIL YOU BECOME IT!
Subtle change of words (one)... Massive change in thinking!But that will be for next time. I leave you, for now, with a quote I love.
For now...
D
