The White House Project on Self Leadership

I'd like to start off by saying that I've realized how refreshing it is to be surrounded by people who choose to take the time to improve their life. Yes, life is busy. People are used to making excuses about why they only have time to focus on other people...and on other stuff. I find that being around people who choose not to make that excuse motivates me to be a better me. Last night, I attended my second workshop with The White House Project, Go Lead: How to Build an Effective Game Plan to Ignite Your Leadership. Like the Personal Branding workshop, this session was led by the fabulous Erica Dhawan but was held at the TWHP office near Penn Station.

First, we were reminded that leadership is all about a mindset, not a position. Erica was very clear in saying that self leadership is about making your habits intentional, so you will have the best chance of meeting your goals. She used this Aristotle quote to reiterate that point: "We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence then, is not an act, but a habit."

I'm about to share one of my worst habits with you: Staying up too late. Might not sound so horrible, but I let myself make excuses for losing sleep, which sometimes acts as a negative domino effect. I end up fighting myself on waking up for a morning run, staying focused all day, and enjoying the evening after work. This is my "to work on" habit that will hopefully act as a keystone to other positive habits.

Erica explained that a game plan for self leadership 1) is not a to-do list, and 2) should be thought of in tiers.

• Understand what you want to contribute to (and how you want to benefit from) the world.
• Consider what high level priorities fall under that mission statement.
• List the tasks you will accomplish to meet those high level priorities.

My Example:

• I want to inspire and be inspired by young, passionate people who aren't afraid to share their story. Connecting with them will enable me to be constantly learning.
• Become more deeply involved in networks of young people in New York City.
• Join the She's the First Dream Team in the next month.
• Attend a conference or event at least bi-weekly (then share them on my blog!).
• Research additional organizations that fit my interests.

Write one statement about what you want to contribute to and how you want to benefit from the world. Support that with three to four high level priorities. Plan how to meet those priorities with two to three action steps each. Overwhelming? It is, but you're benefitting yourself just by taking the time to think about it. Having a game plan makes your choices more intentional. As you think, make sure your game plan is Specific, Measurable, Actionable, Realistic, and Timely. SMART.

Aside from being overwhelming, self leadership can be scary. Erica led a group discussion about how to reframe fear, so you'll be able to move toward your goals. Change the language you use. Consider the worst that could happen. Think of fear as a feeling of excitement. Surround yourself with cheerleaders. Understand that everyone has hesitations, so stop hiding behind excuses.

Speaking of excuses, I'd like to leave you with my favorite Erica quote from the session (pictured above): "Manage your energy, not your time." Think about what that means in your life and adjust accordingly. I plan to follow up with a future post about the actions I'm taking to manage my game plan and to keep tabs on my progress.