Leadership Center

As I began preparing to step into the role of Illinois ASBO President, I reflected a great deal on what would serve our membership as my presidential theme for the year. I wanted the theme to be relatable, personal (especially for myself as I truly wanted to model it throughout the year) and meaningful for all who connected with it. During that same season I was delving into research within a work by Charles Duhigg called The Power of Habit and performance-based concepts found within High Performance Habits by Brendon Burchard. I found it very interesting to see the data on how habits, good or bad, had such a large impact on outcomes. Burchard has identified CLARITY as one of the key habits of high performance within this research on the topic. This really resonated with me and that is the reason that I ultimately selected this theme.

The Clarity Exercise

At the close of the day, a theme has no value if real people don’t connect with it. I was determined to act out this theme throughout this entire year and believe it will become a life practice for me. I’ve shared before a tangible exercise for others to engage with clarity personally before and I promise that I have done this exercise myself. Here is the exercise that I shared back in November:

1. Carve out some quiet time and think about who you want to be in the important areas of your life, those which have a pull on your mind (as a leader, parent, communicator, friend, etc.).
2. As you find clarity in who you would like your future self to be, write it down in current tense. An example for myself is, “I have intentionally changed my lifestyle and have lost a significant amount of weight.”
3. Take a photo of your future self-statements for your own reference but then put it in an envelope and share it with someone who you trust to return it to you in six months (or just before our Annual Conference). I am convinced you will be amazed at the impact it will have on who you will become!

I have highlighted my personal example statement because it is significant. Four months after I had defined who I wanted to become, identified the habits that were needed to become that person and maintained the personal resolve that I really did want to become that person, I am now 50 pounds lighter. I do not share this for the accolades, I share this because I know that it is a relatable topic for many, and I want to demonstrate just how powerful clarity can be.

Unexpected Results

Yes, I have lost weight which is fabulous and something that was important to me; however, the other things that have come along with it are even more rewarding.

I recently shared with those who attended our first Illinois ASBO Leadership Conference that the morning of the conference I startled myself as I walked past a mirror. It was the first time that I didn’t really recognize myself and thought someone else was walking alongside me. I quickly realized that it was just me but then something occurred to me, losing or even gaining two pounds really isn’t noticeable to yourself or others; however, two pounds combined with another two pounds and so on while being faithful to the health-based habits that I had adopted from being intentional has been very noticeable. It is a reminder that although we may not see that we are becoming our future selves while we are on the journey, we might just look in the mirror one day and be surprised that we have arrived.

“Thank you for allowing me to share a bit more of my own story. I wish you all the best in taking ownership of your own lives by finding your CLARITY.”

If you have a topic you would like to share on the Leadership Center Blog, please contact Laura Turnroth at lturnroth@iasbo.org.