"Intrapreneur"

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I just returned home from a week in London. My husband and I went "across the pond" to see our son present his start-up tech company before an audience of venture capitalists, successful business owners, and supportive mentors. In total, ten founding CEOs delivered a 5-minute "pitch" for funding, all presenting a compelling vision with infectious passion and unrelenting drive. 

 

Many of these founders previously worked for Google, Amazon, and financial companies. They had great jobs, earning incomes that afforded a comfortable lifestyle in some of the trendiest cities. Still, they left these positions to create something of their own. As one guy said to me, "I decided I wanted to support my own dream, not the dream of my former boss."

I returned home thinking about my own dreams. The allure of being a founder is seductive. How cool it is to have your name attached to something great! And yet, instead of equating founding with success, what if I invest my time, skills, and resources in an existing organization where I can have a meaningful impact? 

This is the advice given by Nicholas Kristof and Sheryl WuDunn, in their book A Path Appears: Transforming Lives, Creating Opportunity. The authors remind us that we need people to invest their lives in the existing organizations. When we put our egos aside, we can experience the same benefits as the founders, just by contributing our gifts and knowing that we’re making a difference.

Cheryl Dorsey, the head of Echoing Green, a nonprofit that supports social entrepreneurs says, "The biggest need now is for the 'intrapreneur,' the person who can move into an existing enterprise or institution, shake it up, and boost its productivity." I can do that.

I returned home from London with a renewed sense of purpose and energy—to approach my work with a couple non-profit organizations with an "intrapreneur" mindset. The same passion and drive I experienced from the young people in London, I can bring to my volunteer roles. And when asked, "What do you do?" I can talk about the impact my contributions are having in the lives of people around the world. Now that sounds like a dream worth pursuing.

Copyright 2018. Patrice Jenkins. All Rights Reserved.

Don't Fear This, Fear That!

When we commit to doing something outside our comfort zone, when we no longer allow excuses to excuse us from what we really want in life, an unwanted visitor always shows up at our door—FEAR.

Think about it. How many times have you been excited about something, maybe even signed on the bottom line, but then laid awake at night feeling overwhelmed and anxious about what you committed to? When the tension becomes too much, you decide that it's easier to renege and be satisfied with status quo, except that you're not satisfied. Instead you continue to live with a dull ache knowing that there is something more you expected from life—something more you have to give.  

You may look at other people who are pursuing their dreams—living life bigger—and think they don't experience fear. You're probably wrong. When it comes to fear, no one gets a pass. So if you wish to live life fully, plan on fear coming along for the journey. In other words, expect fear to show up. Give your fear a name. Talk to your fear. And then tell your fear to get out of the way of living your one and only life with gusto.

 

To help you get started, I created a "Don't Fear This, Fear That!" list. Not all fears are the same. In fact, we often fear the wrong things. We misinterpret tension and uncertainty as fear when actually these feelings mean we're onto something that can make a positive difference in our lives.  

According to Seth Godin, author of What to do When it's Your Turn, and it's Always Your Turn, "Great work is the result of seeking out tension, not avoiding it. Great work doesn't require reassurance, in fact, it avoids it." Let's get ready to do some great work!

1.     Don't fear greatness, fear mediocrity. At the end of your life when asked, "How was it?" do you want to respond "mediocre?" If not, then begin to do something about it today. Let the fear of mediocrity fuel your dream and pursuit of something more.

2.     Don’t fear life getting bigger, fear life getting smaller. Where are you thinking big? I often have people tell me they plan to downsize in retirement. This may be appropriate when we’re talking about stuff—material belongings, but it should never apply to our life expectations and dreams. These are the wrong things to make small. Think big. Act bold. It’s too late to play it safe.

3.     Don't fear failure, fear regrets. Live a life where in the end you'll be able to say, "I'm glad I did," not "I wish I had." In the end, you'll have more regrets for the things you didn't go after than the areas where you fell short of success.

4.     Don't fear stepping outside your comfort zone, fear being stuck.  There is power in taking just one step, even if it seems insignificant. According to Mallika Chopra, author of Living With Intent, "Every step reaffirms your intent, then empowers and helps create more energy for living the life you want." Lean into your dream. Do one thing today that will bring you one step closer. Keep walking—don't back down. As Elizabeth Gilbert says in her book, Big Magic, "You cannot afford to back down. The life you are negotiating to save, after all, is your own."

5.     Don't fear fear, fear fearless. I'm not suggesting that you should fearlessly make changes in your life that may leave a destructive wake. There is a reason that fear bangs on the door when you think about trying something new or making a decision that involves risk. The challenge is to know when to open the door and welcome fear. ‘’

So what is your response? If you give in to fear, then fear has won the day and it will return again and again. Don't let fear win. Instead, begin with baby steps. Enlist a coach or accountability partner if that will help you move forward. Don't let yourself down. Retirement is the perfect time to live the life you were created to live.

Copyright 2018. Patrice Jenkins. All rights reserved.

Turning 60

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Ten years ago I said, “When I’m 60 I will stop chemically coloring my hair and let it go naturally gray.” This week I turned 60. Now that the day is here, I’ve decided to hold out for another decade. Why not? 

Nothing is different between my last day of being 59 and the first day at 60, except for being one day older. While this is true, without much thought, it’s easy to let one year flow into the next. Before I know it, I’ll look back and ask, “Where did the time go?”

So that this doesn’t happen, authors Chip Heath and Dan Heath, in their book The Power of Moments, encourage us to use naturally defining moments to “recognize where the prose of life needs punctuation.” By pronouncing 60 a defining moment, I’m bringing shape to time. (Click here to read about a Midlife Whoa!)

With this mindset, the past few months I’ve asked, “What do I want for my 60-year-old self?” I’ve considered my level of life satisfaction in several domains, including relationships, health and wellness, personal and spiritual growth, physical environment, and fun and recreation. I’m asking, “Are there mistakes I’m making now that will keep me from being who I want to be ten years from now?”

The Heath authors write, “If we recognize how important these natural defining moments are, we can shape them—make them more memorable and meaningful.” That is my goal—to intentionally create a defining decade. Maybe then I’ll be ready to “go gray” at 70.

Copyright 2018. Patrice Jenkins. All Rights Reserved.

Build Yourself a Great Story

If a graduation mindset is the new retirement, and a commencement message the source of inspiration, then let’s consider the advice Amazon’s founder and CEO Jeff Bezos shared with graduating Princeton students:

“When you are 80 years old, and in a quiet moment of reflection narrating for only yourself the most personal version of your life, the telling that will be most compact and meaningful will be the series of choices you have made. In the end, we are our choices. Build yourself a great story.” 

Let’s change Bezos’ message to: “When you are (current age)…” and then do what he suggests. Begin with reflecting on your life.

Next, write the most personal version of your life. This isn’t a version for Facebook or Instagram, where we tend to project a perfect life. It’s not your Christmas card annual letter. This version of your life is for your eyes only. It’s the real deal.

Now consider these questions:

Is the most compact and meaningful version a reflection of the choices I’ve made? List these choices.

What choices am I most proud of? What choices made a positive difference in my life?

Have I lived my life intentionally, or have I let life drift along, come as it may? When I’m 80 years old will I be happy with this story?

Are there choices I want to make now that will change the course of my story?

List these choices, and then write a specific plan to put these into action.

In the book When to Jump, contributing writer Maia Josebachvili reminds us to be open to edits in our life story. “The most meaningful outcomes happen after your first plans change….We’re only so creative and so imaginative—how can we possibly know what exciting choices we’ll have in front of us in three years? Seven years? New experiences open up your eyes to what the possibilities are.”

In other words, our lives will be more interesting as we intentionally make meaningful choices. Keep writing yourself a great story!

Copyright 2018. Patrice Jenkins. All Rights Reserved.