Who You Dream To Be

Are you who you truly want to be?

I’m not talking about some ethereal concept.

I’m talking about the "who" you desire to be at the deepest level, the person you have never been brave enough to tell anyone about.

You might be wondering what a deer on a scooter has to do with it.

Let me explain.

The painting on the left was part of a silent auction at a fundraiser for breast cancer that I sponsored in Calgary, back when I was still a dentist.

There was something about her that I couldn’t let go of.

I had to leave the fundraiser early, but I had one of my team members, who wanted to stay, make sure that the final bid on it was in my name, as I had to have this painting.

That was 13 years ago.

At that point in life, I had never ridden a scooter or a motorcycle—I was actually pretty scared of them.

I didn’t think of myself as a deer in a jumpsuit in the tropics, nor had I been called deer-like.

And yet, this piece of art captivated me because somehow it was a representation of a version of me.

I liked that she seemed to not be bothered by what others thought and had an air of freedom about her while she stood in power amidst the chaos in the background.

For the next decade in Calgary, this piece of art moved from house to house with me, always finding a special place in my collection.

When I left Calgary and moved to Nicaragua 3.5 years ago, it was the only piece of art that made it into my suitcase.

She stayed rolled up for the next 3.5 years as I didn’t want to damage her by getting the canvas stretched back onto a frame, only to have to remove it and roll it up again—I unconsciously knew I was not meant to root yet.

It is only this past week that I decided she was ready to be mounted again.

I hadn’t looked at her once over the past 3.5 years for fear that I had damaged the painting on all my adventures.

When I did unroll her this week at an art shop, everything I had felt that night at the fundraiser came back.

When I unpacked her and stood back and looked at her in my villa, I noticed something intriguing.

The blurred and chaotic background is exactly what I see when I'm riding around Canggu, Bali on my scooter.

And, my scooter looks uncannily similar to the one in the painting—it's pictured on the right.

So much has transpired since this painting came into my possession 13 years ago.

My dental career burned down after a career-ending injury.

The terror of that led to embracing the unknown and getting curious about what I had to contribute to the world without a drill in my hand.

The curiosity transformed me into a serial entrepreneur, building three companies in disparate arenas.

Once I realized they were holding me back from who I really wanted to be, I intentionally burned them away (aka sold) and built my current endeavor, taking the best of everything I had acquired until now.

I’ve lived in six different countries and traveled to myriads more.

When I look back, it’s fascinating to trace how the core of who I thought I knew I was when I saw this painting has been burned down—sometimes by intention, often by unforeseen sparks.

When I also look back, it’s fascinating to trace how I’ve been granted the grace to build myself back up personally and professionally to unapologetically embrace who I desired to be and who I am today.

I finally feel like I am her in that piece of art—not bothered by what others think and having an air of freedom about her while she stands in power amidst the chaos.

Knowing I am exactly where I am meant to be, being exactly who I want to be, doing exactly what I am meant to be doing—professionally and entrepreneurially.

Who do you dream to be?

If you are at a point where you are ready to fully step into your power as a professional and entrepreneur and become who you dream to be, grab a seat in my upcoming challenge.

By the end of our three days together, I promise you will see yourself differently and be ready to burn away what’s been holding you back from being that "who."

Here's the link if you are ready: www.unleashinginfluence.net/challenge_signup

#potential #pivot #businesscoaching #personalbranding #personaldevelopment