Your Elevator Speech

MY ELEVATOR SPEECH

Someone asked me last week what my upcoming book was about. Fortunately, I had practiced an elevator speech. For those who may not be familiar, an elevator speech is a way of describing something very quickly when you don't have much time.  It is the time you would have until you arrived at your requested floor.

I told my friend that my book was a book of short essays that describe my vision of hope that I have for the world. They are examples of how we can help each other get along better, and how we can heal each other by connecting.

It was a good moment. I felt confident. This had been rehearsed. I knew what I was going to say.

YOUR ELEVATOR SPEECH

Could you state your mission in life is in 30 seconds or less? I'm not referring to finding out what you want to do in life. I'm referring to knowing how you want to show up in the world. In a world where results are what matter to many, it can be challenging to describe  who we are, minus all of the labels and accolades given to us.

 THE BEAUTY OF CLARITY

Knowing who you are, and how you want to show up in the world is very empowering.  Imagine if you were that clear about what you wanted and needed in life. Waking up in the morning, your path would be clear. You would know exactly what you needed to do that day. You would not waste any time trying to figure out what to do.

I love it when I wake up to write, and I know exactly what I want to write about. It doesn't happen every time. But, when it does it is amazing. As I go throughout my day, I feel successful. I got up, and was clear. I knew what I wanted to do, and I did it.

Not every day is this way. It is often slow going. On many mornings, I have no idea what I'm going to write. There is nothing easy about it. Those are the days when I just show up in front of the keyboard, and hope that something comes out of me. Something always does. It doesn't always make sense.

WHO ARE YOU? HINT: YOU ARE NOT WHAT YOU DO

When was the last time you asked by someone who you are?  It's probably been a long time. Seems too personal. Seems too invasive. But, it sure is important that we ask it of ourselves.

There is a difference between what you do and who you are. I often get them mixed up. When asked "John, what do you do?", I usually will answer with something about playing music and being a writer. Rarely, do I get asked, "John, who are you?"

Ultimately, this comes down to a conversation we need to have with ourselves. If we cannot answer the question about who we are, it is time to consider it. The answer doesn't need to be given out loud to others, but eventually it will be. The life that you lead will be a reflection of the elevator speech you tell yourself about who you are. The  answer you give will be on display to the outside world.

AN INVITATION

I invite you to get on a virtual elevator of sorts. Maybe that is meditation. Maybe it's a vacation. Maybe it's a walk down a beautiful path in the woods. Find a place where you can ask formulate an elevator speech about your life. If you know who you are, you will know what to do next. You will do whatever fits with your dream for your life.