Accept the Mission

Have you ever seen the Pinterest pin that says, “I do hard things,” and your next thought was, I do hard things. Uh, sometimes!

You’re not alone. Everyone has a gap or two—but when that happens, turn to the famous tag line from Mission: Impossible: “Your mission, if you choose to accept it, is…”

That’s more than a line. You have many chances to design your personal mission. But the trick is being courageous enough to accept missions that put you in a daring high-wire act of mastering new skills.

Let me tell you how a colleague looked the mission to grow leaps and bounds square in the eye and won.

Dylan Closes the Gap with Soft Skills

There was no doubt in my mind that Dylan would ace her annual review. She was a consistent high performer, and people expected great things for years to come.

That’s why I was shell-shocked when she told me that her manager spent part of their time together giving her a warning shot: She was stuck at her current level unless she learned presentation skills.

“But you’re a behind-the-scenes, make-others-better person,” I said.

“At first, I made the same argument! But in my heart, I knew she was right,” Dylan sighed. “People with a higher title spend a fair amount of time out front. I don’t know why I thought I could kick the can forever on presenting.”

“So, it’s all good?” I ventured.

“It’s not as simple as wishing!” Dylan laughed. “But the day after my review, I attended a presentation that almost put me to sleep. I realized, Maybe I’ve made too much of this. Presenting may not be my first love, but I can do better than that!”

How You Can Stay in Genuine Power

Dylan’s story reminded me of the technique Blaze the Trail in my free bestseller, Genuine Power: 7 Techniques to Be Powerful in a Loud, Complicated World. When you blaze the trail, you propel yourself forward, even if you don’t feel perfectly qualified in the moment.

Let’s go back to Dylan’s story and her breaking point. A boring speaker gave her an a-ha moment where her choices were clear. She could either finally master presenting or let temporary discomfort permanently determine her career direction. Was a promotion going to require dedication, time, and energy? Yes. But she decided she was going to accept that mission, even if it made her uneasy.

Leveling up can feel like a double-edged sword. The upside is that it can be exciting to grow and expand, but the downside is that it can feel awkward. Think back to when you were a kid. You knew you were growing because your shoes were suddenly too tight. That wasn’t fun—it was painful!

Likewise, there may be some self-conscious moments as you upgrade. However, accepting the mission to tackle those tender spots is how you gain genuine power. Genuine power isn’t an external issue, where someone suddenly gifts you with self-confidence—it’s an inside job. You must trust yourself enough to know that you’ll have what it takes to pass the test.

The next time you need to accept a new mission and Blaze the Trail, practice these do’s and don’ts:

1. Do courageously accept the challenge to go into unknown places, even if it feels a little scary.
2. Don’t argue to stay in your comfort zone. Take out your crystal ball—ask yourself where will you be in a year, three years, or five years if you win that argument?
3. Do use soft skills of adaptability, creativity, and healthy self-esteem. Blazing the trail may be a little bumpy, but try, try again!

Genuine Power Do’s and Don’ts Series Recap

In the May series Genuine Power Do’s and Don’ts, we’ve discussed techniques you can use to stay in genuine power. Power can be a difficult conversation because the world is filled with people acting out and calling it power. But when you feel confused, remember what you’ve learned, and it will be easy to contrast what genuine power is and isn’t.

Here’s the recap:

1. Don’t misunderstand genuine power as projecting your will onto someone else. Instead, change from a fixer to an ally.
2. Don’t confuse empowerment with being forceful. Instead, address disagreements early and dig into the solution.
3. Don’t stage-manage situations, especially as a way to get out of uncomfortable conversations. Instead, speak with tact and diplomacy and take charge of the truth.
4. Don’t stay where you currently feel powerful. Instead, even if it’s a little bumpy, accept the mission to level up.

The goal of genuine power is to create a new paradigm. So, don’t run your life like bosses you’ve had that have made you cringe—the kind of boss who pushes, shoves, forces, and manipulates their way through the world. Act like the creative, wise CEO of your life—a Soul Boss—and use soft skills to model a new version of power: one that is calm, confident, and consistent.