Editor’s note: This post was featured on Positively Positive
“Your story is where you take it to, not where you start.” – Tony Robbins
Let’s be honest and get a few things out on the table…
Your starting point does not define you.
We all need to start somewhere — even the masters.
What matters is where you want to go rather than where you are right now.
Your starting place is just that, where you start. Nothing more and nothing less. It’s neutral. Jeff Bezos started Amazon in the garage. Steve Jobs started Apple in his garage as well. Most people would think that was a pretty terrible place to start. Both visionaries built incredibly successful companies that have changed the world and what’s possible. Iyanla Vanzant, an author and self-help guru, was completely broke at one point in her life. She is now a NY Times bestselling author and will soon have a self-empowerment show on Oprah’s network OWN. Although, we tend to classify our starting place as negative, it’s just a starting place. No need to be dramatic!
“We can think, speak, and bring the best possible outcome into existence by focusing on where we are going, not on where we think we are.” – Iyanla Vanzant
Do yourself and everyone around you a favor, please stop being so tough on yourself because your starting place is difficult.
Your starting place may be that you don’t have enough money, education, contacts, or knowledge to start your business. Or, your starting place could be that you have all the money in the world and a successful business but you’re not fulfilled.
I had a solid starting place when I was in New York City…working on Wall Street for a top tier investment bank, making good money, living in a nice apartment in NYC, and having a great lifestyle. Most people would not have given up the lifestyle I had, but it wasn’t what I wanted so I had to start again. When I wrote my book, Living in Your Top 1%, I started from scratch…no experience, no contacts in the business, and no one to offer advice.
Your starting place is irrelevant. Yes, I know this sounds crazy.
What matters is your clarity, choices, and commitment to take action and create what you want.
TOP 1% BOTTOM LINE: It’s not about where you start but rather where you want to go. Big difference. People are frustrated by what they have AND don’t have. Your starting place is a point of reference when you look back to see how far you’ve come.
About Alissa
Alissa Finerman is an Executive Coach and Gallup Certified Strengths Coach, speaker and author of Living in YOUR Top 1%. She works with managers, C-suite executives and teams to leverage strengths, shift beliefs and achieve meaningful goals. Alissa has an MBA from the Wharton School and a BA from the University of California, Berkeley. She has worked with Ross Stores, Petco, BNP Paribas, Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher, Brookfield Property Partners, Neutrogena, Bristol-Myers Squibb and Dress for Success. To learn more about coaching with Alissa, please visit her website and follow her on Facebook
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