Getting Started

"You don't have to be great to get started, but you do have to get started to be great."

Debbie Mrazek, The Sales Company

Only one word can describe Debbie - amazing. I've always appreciated her opinion, and this quote of hers comes to mind often.

So, turning the wonderfully young age of 30 almost a year ago jolted me to "get started" on what I wanted to be known for being great at. Though I knew I started already, but something wasn't quite right. Instead of jumping right in at what I wanted to be great at, I found myself diving into a process of asking myself a series of questions around

Who am I?

What am I doing?

Am I where I want to be?

Am I focused on my passions?

Am I leaving the legacy I dream?

Am I a role model for others?

Am I making an impact?

And quickly I realized that in about 50% of my life I was exactly where I wanted to be - building a growing business with amazing potential and colleagues, plus am extremely happy with the people I have come to surround myself with since moving to Dallas. (Yes, I am an overachiever - for many this would be 100% fulfilling, not 50%.)

But 50% was missing. Or more like the other 50% was cluttered with things I either didn't care much about any more or cared about for the wrong reasons, which unfortunately began to affect others, or took me far off my unique path. It wasn't me nor what I wanted to be known for doing.

However, I did not know what was missing, or better yet, should be the remaining 2-3 things I start to focus my energy on. So I couldn't really get started to be great, yet. Instead, I began a process of self discovery and exploration. I read books. I dabbled in different things to see if the glove fit.

By asking the above questions in different contexts I began to see patterns around what has been missing that I want to be known for being great at:

Motivate Others to Make an Impact

Thought Leadership on the Soft and Hard Side of Technology

Making an Impact on Education and Children

So almost a year later, just weeks before turning 31, I have honed in on the 50% that is missing that I want to be great at. Part of what's next is getting through the de-clutter process and setting realistic goals for 31.

So get started to become great. I have.