A gazillion years ago, someone I deeply admire with the most brilliant mind and generous heart interviewed me for an industry program.
His flattering introduction made me smile but it was he said next that stopped in my tracks …
He said, ‘She is a force of nature’ – it made me think for a moment, smile big, and I wondered what that means?
When you call someone a force of nature, it means the person has a strong personality or character – like a hurricane or a tsunami – they might be full of energy, unstoppable, unchallengeable, unforgettable.
In summary, a person to be reckoned with – that made me smile even more!
Are you a force of nature?
What is your energy level? Your drive? What is your confidence level?
Can you be, as speaker Patrick Henry says, ‘Rememberable?’
I am surrounded by people who are forces of nature.
It’s fun to observe them and debrief their actions, which impresses me.
Want to be a force of nature? Try theses strategies in your personal and professional life:
Make people matter – be entirely focused, fully present. Can you give someone the gift of your undivided attention so they realize they are the most important person you are talking to at that moment? This means STOP looking at your devices and look someone in the eye.
Stop making technology more important than people.
Please put your cell phone away.
Invest wisely – be deliberate about how you invest your time, energy, and attention in the people and projects that will yield the best return on attention (ROA). Say ‘no’ to the things that don’t matter. Our office has a mantra that says ‘if it’s not yes, it’s no’. It sounds simple, and it’s incredibly liberating when you do it.
Stop wasting time in indecision. Make a decision and move on.
Enter energetically – your energy is contagious.
You can change the energy of a conversation, presentation, or the feeling of a room simply by how you enter it. Show us as the best version of yourself as you walk in with the assumption that everyone wants to play with you (that’s my belief). This means walking in confidently, with a genuine smile on your face, and not looking at your cell phone. It means extending your hand first to shake hands; it means not looking like the ‘bag lady’ weighed down with too many bags, coffee mugs, and clutter. Stop walking into meetings connected to devices, clearing emails, and not acknowledging your team members.
Make people matter.
Attention pays. Paying attention increases profitability, productivity, and accountability.
I challenge you to make someone feel like the most important person you have met, talked to, texted, called, or seen today. People want to be seen and heard.
The forces of nature in my life have mastered this skill. Be a force of nature today.