By Sue Hawkes, CMEC

Is a change occurring?  Are we starting to see optimism return to the market and our culture?  And is there now hope along with the emergence of Spring?

It’s been the buzz on the news lately.  I’ve heard everything from, “we need to spend; we can only conserve for so long” and, “our short memories are catching up with us again.” Euphemisms and solid facts seem to correspond with lower interest rates and the market’s recent upsurge. 

Yet, we’re also guarded in our optimism.  It’s somewhat like the time after ending a relationship; we enter into new ones more cautiously, more thoughtfully and a bit wiser (if we’ve done our work). 

Of course, that caution can also be a limiting factor. So, how do you invent a new future without being limited by your past?  What does it take to create a new reality that includes everything that contributes to your success?

These are provocative questions, to which there’s one simple answer. “Just say so.”  Yes, that’s all there is to it.  Declare what’s possible.  Say so. 

As simple as it sounds, of course, it’s not easily done.  Most of us are rusty in how we declare possibilities.  People struggle with making powerful declarations because it is a seldom practiced art.

I recently did a declaration exercise with a fabulous team of leaders. I’ve done this hundreds of times before and it’s an incredible process.  I challenge participants to come up with deeper responses than top-of-mind thinking to create the following:

• Two declarations you’ve made about yourself or your company that limit possibilities, and
• Two declarations that would create an unprecedented future for yourself and your company. 

Every time I do this exercise it’s the same.  When it comes to declaring what’s possible, the language initially contains hesitation, back doors, tentative language and conditions.

I’ve wondered why this proves to be a challenging exercise.  Could it be we’ve been conditioned to believe it’s arrogant to speak powerfully about our strengths? Or is it because we were raised not to brag?  Perhaps we don’t want make a mistake or look bad if it isn’t successful.  Or is it because we know that many people who have made powerful declarations get killed for their stands (MLK, Ghandi…)?  You tell me.

As I worked with this group of leaders and they declared their designed future, I was moved, touched and inspired.  When each person made their declarations with great conviction, they became real and I know, in that moment, every person there changed.  As each of these leaders who are responsible for their company’s future spoke, I believe they emerged into a new possibility; for themselves and the organization.  They can no longer be the same way and do the same things to have their designed future emerge.  They are compelled forward into that new paradigm for themselves and their organization.  Change is occurring as we speak. 

Every time I do this exercise, it brings out varying degrees of discomfort, but it is also one of the most moving and rewarding practices I teach. It literally changes the course of behaviors, events and results for everyone involved.

Think of John F. Kennedy’s declaration, “…This nation should commit itself to … landing a man on the moon and returning him safely to the Earth.” or from his most famous speech, Martin Luther Kings’ statement, “I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed: ‘We hold these truths to be self-evident: that all men are created equal.’"

When powerful declarations are made, that reality becomes not just possible; in the moment it is spoken, the future becomes the present. Actions follow and people align. Simple, but not easy - it takes practice and patience.  In Martin Luther King's case, in just a few decades, it resulted in electing our nation’s first African American president. 

The beauty of this is that we already know how to make powerful declarations - we’ve merely forgotten how to do it in our favor. 

Start by dropping those comfortable declarations first.  You know the ones - they roll off your tongue way too easily, limit your possibilities and keep you bound to the past.  Often they’ve been reinforced so many times they are merely verbal habits binding us to a past that has no meaning and limiting our possibilities. 

Once you’ve made space, it’s time to design some mind-blowing declarations. The ones that make your breath short and your heart beat so you feel it in your throat. The ones that others say cannot be done. (Don’t you think JFK and MLK had those feelings and responses when declaring theirs? Of course they did!)

Perhaps this is what’s emerging with all the change in our world today.  The opportunity to individually and collectively say “what’s so” based on what matters most.

So, are you up for it?  Then isn’t it time you say it?   

If you’re serious about making your declarations a reality, join me for our Emotional Intelligence for Massive Success program.  Please join me and learn our 100% guaranteed method for changing behavior and making your declarations a reality in 21 days.  By the end of May, you will be living proof of a new future.