Raising the Bar and Re-Setting

Just when you think you have “made it” the universe reminds you that it’s just the beginning!

I have always thought that if I worked hard and worked towards a goal, that eventually success would follow. And to a certain degree, it has. But there is so much more to building a successful company and taking it to a new level than just hard work. I’m a problem-solver, my comfort zone is all about getting the impossible done. I am confident when I have a task ahead of me that requires my total immersion with the job at hand. Whether that’s inventing a new product, wading through scientific papers or filing for various approvals with the government—it’s work that requires a logical, thoughtful approach. 

I’m also a bit of an ideas machine, continually thinking, reading and unearthing new discoveries that might match a future opportunity I've identified. Not everything sticks, but this process is how I’ve managed to stay ahead and take me to where I am today.

So shifting priorities and operating outside my comfort zone, while necessary, is daunting and quite frankly uncomfortable. All successful entrepreneurs hit this point, the time when it becomes more about stepping into your own presence and realizing it’s your greatest power. 

A New Level of Awareness

Being “one of a kind" comes naturally to all leading innovators, which makes it a double-edged sword when it comes to effectively leading a path forward with confidence and poise—we’re always recreating! To help, I had (and still do) a fantastic coach and great mentors who work with me to develop a more polished public presence (and encourage me to step into my own personal power, which is there for all of us.) 

But that’s how I’ve always looked at it—a public presence —not really who 'I' am. I am naturally shy and soft spoken but when I’m talking about building a business with purpose and working in harmony with nature, I become very passionate. So, now, I am facing a very different kind of challenge as my business scales. One that requires me to shed old patterns and embrace a new way of being a leader. I’ve realized (not without a lot of prompting) that I can break out and take this all the way as long as I can step into this calling and empower my team to do the same—creating visions of the world we want to see, and then manifesting it. 

Think Differently

I need to do a “mind switch” to think differently. It’s not that I’ve necessarily been doing anything wrong, but there really is a whole new level of awareness I've recently switched on. It's not just to be a leader - it’s to be a dynamic one. Something I read recently really sums this up for me:

“Dynamic leaders do not let a person, company, or disruption come along and recreate their destiny for them—they change with the trends, innovate, and lead their team through the accompanying changes. Dynamic leaders adapt to new technologies and pivot with changing markets and customer attitudes and desires.” 

– The Leadership Mind Switch by Kylie Wright-Ford.

Ready to Embrace Change

I realize I have to be willing to leave my comfortable domain and embrace a new sense of business savvy, tech savvy, emotional intelligence and cultural fluency. I have to be seen to outwardly do and be all the things I inwardly embrace and believe in.

I’m ready to take my company to the $100 million mark, I’m ready to step into my personal power to make that “mind switch” because someone is going to take the lead and it might as well be me! 

This article was originally published on August 2, 2017 on the blog, One of a Kind.

Kari Warberg Block is a champion for inventors, entrepreneurs & CEOs who are scaling their businesses. Kari is considered a market disrupter and a fierce environmental advocate who sets out to educate, empower and inspire you to be a game changer. She is CEO of EarthKind, a Women Business Enterprise Certified by the Women’s Business Enterprise National Council.

Visit her personal blog, One of a Kind. Follow Kari on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook.