Head to toe, mind and heart, Achilles was a powerful man. Only a few inches below his calf, in just the tiniest square inch in contrast to the vast expanse of his body, he had an insurmountable weakness. At his own heel, Achilles could be felled.
My top takeaway from one year as a company founder at VT KnowledgeWorks?
I have learned my Achilles heel. Wounded there, I am felled.
My Achilles heel: Straying from my vision.
If I do not follow my vision, I lose heart.
When I lose heart, I can’t go on.
I feel courageous and clear when I have my vision in mind and make decisions, easy and hard, that correspond with or further the vision.
When I give others authority to define my vision, or follow the visions that others think would be better for me - or would be better for them - I lose heart.
Although I listed what I miss being a company founder rather than an employee, I don’t lose heart from it.
Without a salary, I make do. Before fifty, having a self was of paramount importance to me. Now that I’m fifty, I have a self and having a mission is self-sustaining. I do work a lot and I am tired a lot, but if my genes hold out, I’ll have plenty of time to rest as does my 99-year-old grandmother dozing at Warm Hearth. With regard to becoming a hard and hardened woman, really, I’ve looked into Medusa’s eyes enough to be turned to stone. I expect triple digit growth in my company as The Crying CEO.
As long as I don’t lose heart.
As long as I follow my vision.
***
Photo: In a triathlon, the age of the participant is marked on the calf - just above the Achilles heel.
Comments