Declare Your Brilliance Day

The other day I was on the phone for over six hours, all business related.  I had a two coaching calls, one client call, one private class, and a consulting call.  (And this was after two full days with a new client during an in-person strategizing and planning retreat.)

I had to be "on" for each and every one of them... bringing the full force of my attention, my skills, my gifts to each call, to each person.

By the end of the day I was exhausted.  I tweeted, "Can I stop being brilliant now?"

Since then, I've wondered how that landed for people.  Did they just go... "God, she is so full of herself"?

But some people actually responded.... all positive, I might add.

See, here's the thing...

We are all brilliant.

In our unique way.  We have gifts, skills, powers, abilities, sensitivities that we bring to what we do.  For those of us who are entrepreneurs and own our own businesses, we probably built our businesses on our unique brilliance.

Yet our society and culture tells us that we shouldn't proclaim our brilliance to the world.  Some schools don't have valedictorians.  Talent shows, you know... where someone actually wins... don't exist.  Instead of art or science competitions, we have art fairs or science fairs where everyone gets a ribbon for participating.  As parents, we're supposed to fawn over every scribble and declare that it rivals DaVinci, instead of cocking our heads to the side and going, "Um, what is that supposed to be?"

And it's so not realistic.  American Idol should have taught us that by now.  Companies reward their top producers.  The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences only give one Best Director, Best Actor, Best Actress, Best Picture award.... they don't give everyone a ribbon and a pat on the back.

So why is it such a bad thing to proclaim, "I am brilliant in this way"?

Shining our own brilliance doesn't take the light away from others.

How are you brilliant?

Comments

[Doug Hudiburg]

There is absolutely nothing wrong with declaring your brilliance. I also feel that, for the most part, people *want* that from each other.

We do seem to be a bit scared by the idea, though, don't we? We try to protect our kids and selves from failure.

If we, instead, focus on finding and shining our own brilliance, we find true rewards, not just homogeneous plastic trophies.

Actually, rather than feeling guilty about proclaiming our brilliance, we should feel guilty about just the opposite. We do each other disservice every time we hide our brilliance.

Thanks Dawn, you always make me think. :-)

[Dawn Goldberg]

Doug... thank YOU for taking the time to share your thoughts. I love the idea of feeling guilty for NOT sharing our brilliance as a counterpoint.

So, to start things off... what is YOUR brilliance? :)

[Dawn]

And I'll play, too....

I'm brilliant at seeing the big picture, at seeing patterns. My brilliance also lies in my big caring and love. :)