The 3 Pās of Self-Awareness
When I was a young girl, my dad unassumingly gave me one of my life’s mantras … during a grocery shopping trip. We had arrived at the grocery store but we were still in the parking lot, doing laps in my his truck. After maybe the third lap, I was getting annoyed. What is he doing? This is taking so long! Before too long, I couldn’t keep quiet any longer. “Dad? Why have we passed so many empty parking spots?” My dad answered immediately. “I don’t want any of them. Don’t ever settle.”
Don’t. Ever. Settle.
Don’t. Ever. Settle. Three little words. One big idea. I don’t remember exactly how old I was when my dad planted this idea in my head. I don’t even remember if I replied. But this moment has been replaying in my head ever since then. Now, this isn’t my only mantra. But it’s a big one for me. I know what I want and nothing else will do.
Now, I’m not glorifying this. It can be a little hard to swallow. However, I do think there’s great power in knowing that I hold this belief. The idea that I “don’t ever settle” is the fuel to my potential, my passion and my purpose. These three P’s make up who I am. And because I know that, I know myself. More than that, I know that I’m a work in progress. Let’s look at the three P’s together. Who knows? You might get to know yourself a bit better.
Potential
In physics, potential energy is stored energy. So, first, just know that your potential exists. You might not feel it. You might not see it. But it’s there. Know that you are capable of greatness even if you don’t feel great at the moment. Be mindful that, at any time, your breakthrough may be moments away.
When you are aware of your potential, you are self-assured. And this self-assurance is like a battery in your back. Your belief in yourself will propel you toward your future self and goals. Isn’t that powerful?! You don’t have to look outward for validation: to your partner, your employer or social media. Instead, you look inward. That way, naysayers won’t affect you (as much) … because there are always naysayers. These detractors may say, You can’t do that! Or, you’ll never make it! But that negativity can’t make you feel stuck when you’re aware of your potential. And that is so freeing!
Are you thinking, “How do I know I’ll reach my potential?” If so, at the risk of sounding non-committal, you don’t. Your potential is always in your future. So, you chase it. But you don’t reach it. Each day, take action and make sure that action is aligned with your potential. If your daily actions pass your regular gut checks, give yourself some grace. You may not be where you want to be yet, but you’re making progress. Don’t. Ever. Settle.
Passion
What lights you up? When you wake up in the morning, what’s the thought that propels you out of bed? Does something come to mind? That might just be your passion. Struggling to come up with something? Then, get after it!
Your passion is like your soul’s pilot light. When you’re in touch with it, It helps you burn a little brighter. What thrills you? What makes you giddy? Is there something you can’t get enough of? Is there an Instagram account you wish you could just jump into? Maybe it’s a passion? On the contrary, is there something that absolutely repels you? Yeah, that’s not it. In fact, maybe your passion is the exact opposite of that thing.
Here’s a little secret about your passion. It is just for you. No one else. It doesn’t have to make sense. You don’t have to be good at it! It doesn’t have to be logical or helpful. It can be useless and frivolous to everyone except you. You get to be a little selfish about this. And that’s a super uncomfortable feeling for most of us. So, if just thinking about being selfish is making you squirm in your seat, I’m definitely talking to you. You have only one life to live. Live it up! Don’t. Ever. Settle.
Purpose
A Fortune 500 CEO who enjoys a daily cup of coffee needs the barista at the local cafe just as much as the barista needs the CEO. We are here to serve on another. More than that, serving one another gives us purpose. And there is no service that is greater than another. As a surgeon, I need my patients as much as they need me. Again, we need each other.
Have you heard the story of JFK and the janitor? In 1961, JFK visited NASA and introduced himself to a janitor who was mopping the floor. President Kennedy asked him what he did at NASA. The janitor’s reply? I’m helping put a man on the moon! Mic. Drop. That was a man of purpose. He was confident in how important his work was to such a historic event. He wasn’t limited by believing that his contribution was small.
Fortunately for us, our purpose often correlates with our gifts. When we utilize our gifts, we can serve others from our strengths. That way, we can have the most significant impact. Some personal development gurus refer to this as a zone of genius. It’s a place where you thrive. In my case, my zone of genius includes communication and dexterity. My being a surgeon just makes sense, right? But in order to dedicate my purpose to surgery, I had to accept that I can’t sing. Because if I could? Whoo! Look out, Beyonce! Don’t get me wrong. I love my work. But I also know that I will never win a Grammy. But alas … I rock out in the operating room! Don’t. Ever. Settle.
I’d like to leave you with one final thought: your three P’s will change. And that’s ok. Actually, it’s amazing! Jump into this mindset work now and you’ll know what you want and when it’s time to pivot.
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