Hello High Heelers
Wow-wee! I have personally never felt so exhausted but energised at the same time. I have been doing a great stalking job this week and have even managed to stay out of trouble – clever me!
In light of the fact that I am the nosiest person on earth, Natalie has now convinced our CEO (no, not the Trevor Noah type either – our REAL one) to invite me into the EXCO Learning Sessions at work. They have these once a month. She probably did this so that she doesn’t have me running around after her and trying to sneak through her notes. You see, these learning sessions are really insightful – life-changing occurrences. I swear!
Right, so let me stop babbling on and writing hogwash (not sure where I pulled that word from, it’s something my grandmother would say. It is probably my attempt at sounding both clever and mature like my EXCO team. I hope it worked. So don’t you just think I am so wonderful now?). I’m going to share with you the inner secrets of the learning. Which is, by the way, the opposite of hogwash – though it does include a hog. Hold your breath... drum roll. Ka-ching!
It all begins with a hedgehog. Indeed! I’m not mad. It’s not a warthog or a groundhog or a hog-hog, but a humble little hedgehog. There’s a point (and a prickle) here – I promise. In Jim Collins book ‘Good to Great’, he uses the hedgehog as an analogy to finding your purpose (the one thing that helps you survive). And at the last EXCO session our CEO, Ricky, went through details of what our hedgehogs are and how we link this to the company.
Now most of this isn’t relevant to you, my High Heelers, but the three questions that you ask to understand your purpose are really really important:
1. What are you passionate about?
2. What can you do best?
3. What can you make a living at? (economic denominator)
You see, I’m really passionate about writing and speaking. I can talk to anyone anywhere and write a million pages a day without getting bored. I just love words. LOVE. I put them everywhere and I read them all – from cereal boxes to speeding fines (every word). That’s my thing. What I do best, just happens to be communicating – creating impactful (sticky) messaging. So what I make a living doing, is marketing and branding so I can share all my words, communications and thoughts with the world. See? That’s my hedgehog. I name her Jemima and I feed her sticky-chocolate covered words every day.
Before you feel nauseous from all my happiness banter and nerd-share. Let me be honest. I am not really that clever. I didn’t end up here on purpose. It happened quite by chance. But, I must admit, since I’ve found my hedgehog, I have found deep fulfilment. I’m running around at the end of the year, getting by on little sleep and lots of coffee, yet I feel so energised. It’s quite weird.
Why don’t you ask yourself the questions above and discover what you should REALLY be doing with your life? So what if you’re a CA and really should rather be a clothing designer? If the economic denominator is right, you will survive. I’m not saying it’s easy – it’s not! I’m suggesting that it is highly personally fulfilling to find your hedgehog. The journey will be unbelievably tough, filled with pokes and prickles with every step. But it’s worth it.
This week, let me encourage you to find your hedgehog, pull out her quills and make six-inch heels with them (don’t kill it please – use it!). Because when you’re walking tall on the back of your hedgehog you just keep walking higher.
Cheers,
Jo
(This week’s post is dedicated to Bruce, our quiet, insightful and caring colleague, who knew what his hedgehog was and who left us too soon and too sadly. Rest peacefully friend.)
Wow-wee! I have personally never felt so exhausted but energised at the same time. I have been doing a great stalking job this week and have even managed to stay out of trouble – clever me!
In light of the fact that I am the nosiest person on earth, Natalie has now convinced our CEO (no, not the Trevor Noah type either – our REAL one) to invite me into the EXCO Learning Sessions at work. They have these once a month. She probably did this so that she doesn’t have me running around after her and trying to sneak through her notes. You see, these learning sessions are really insightful – life-changing occurrences. I swear!
Right, so let me stop babbling on and writing hogwash (not sure where I pulled that word from, it’s something my grandmother would say. It is probably my attempt at sounding both clever and mature like my EXCO team. I hope it worked. So don’t you just think I am so wonderful now?). I’m going to share with you the inner secrets of the learning. Which is, by the way, the opposite of hogwash – though it does include a hog. Hold your breath... drum roll. Ka-ching!
It all begins with a hedgehog. Indeed! I’m not mad. It’s not a warthog or a groundhog or a hog-hog, but a humble little hedgehog. There’s a point (and a prickle) here – I promise. In Jim Collins book ‘Good to Great’, he uses the hedgehog as an analogy to finding your purpose (the one thing that helps you survive). And at the last EXCO session our CEO, Ricky, went through details of what our hedgehogs are and how we link this to the company.
Now most of this isn’t relevant to you, my High Heelers, but the three questions that you ask to understand your purpose are really really important:
1. What are you passionate about?
2. What can you do best?
3. What can you make a living at? (economic denominator)
You see, I’m really passionate about writing and speaking. I can talk to anyone anywhere and write a million pages a day without getting bored. I just love words. LOVE. I put them everywhere and I read them all – from cereal boxes to speeding fines (every word). That’s my thing. What I do best, just happens to be communicating – creating impactful (sticky) messaging. So what I make a living doing, is marketing and branding so I can share all my words, communications and thoughts with the world. See? That’s my hedgehog. I name her Jemima and I feed her sticky-chocolate covered words every day.
Before you feel nauseous from all my happiness banter and nerd-share. Let me be honest. I am not really that clever. I didn’t end up here on purpose. It happened quite by chance. But, I must admit, since I’ve found my hedgehog, I have found deep fulfilment. I’m running around at the end of the year, getting by on little sleep and lots of coffee, yet I feel so energised. It’s quite weird.
Why don’t you ask yourself the questions above and discover what you should REALLY be doing with your life? So what if you’re a CA and really should rather be a clothing designer? If the economic denominator is right, you will survive. I’m not saying it’s easy – it’s not! I’m suggesting that it is highly personally fulfilling to find your hedgehog. The journey will be unbelievably tough, filled with pokes and prickles with every step. But it’s worth it.
This week, let me encourage you to find your hedgehog, pull out her quills and make six-inch heels with them (don’t kill it please – use it!). Because when you’re walking tall on the back of your hedgehog you just keep walking higher.
Cheers,
Jo
(This week’s post is dedicated to Bruce, our quiet, insightful and caring colleague, who knew what his hedgehog was and who left us too soon and too sadly. Rest peacefully friend.)
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