Welcome to the first issue of The Bright Side, the news-note that refuses to be a newsletter. It’s short, sweet, and straight to the point. We’ll get the point across in 5 minutes or less!
Why did I come up with this?
I had been playing with this idea for quite some time but I could never get myself to do it. Why (#2)? Because I hate the newsletters that I receive and I dreaded writing something that I wouldn’t enjoy reading. Why (#3)? The information provided is frequently overwhelming and often not relevant for me. Why (#4)? Often, I don’t have a real interest in what they are providing or only a small piece of information applies to me. Why (#5)? Because they cater their information to a broad audience with the hope that of something resonating, the majority of information doesn’t apply to me.
And finally today it clicked, I want to be different – wait… I AM different.
The Bright Side will be a monthly newsle… news-note(!) created to keep the momentum we’ve built going. It’s for those I’ve coached or worked with and anyone interested in personal development or trying something new.
It will feature occasional updates from BrightPath, insights from my experiences with CliftonStrengths, leadership, and onboarding, plus short leadership tips and self-reflection prompts—all in under 5 minutes.
Unlike all other newsletters that I know, every edition will feature the unsubscribe button at the beginning, not hidden somewhere at the end. Well, it’ll be there, too.
If I am not providing actual value to you, I am actively asking you to please unsubscribe.
So, here we go:
Leading the Way - Ask 'Why' five times
So, as this will be short and sweet as well, should this section actually be called leader…-boat? …No? …too much?
Anyways, you saw earlier that I had to ask myself ‘why’ five times to get a better understanding of what was standing in my way of creating a newsletter. The first answer didn’t get me there. Neither did the second. But with every ‘why’ I was getting closer to the real issue. And finally it clicked. I understood the real ‘why’ – too much, a daunting task, not relevant and too time-consuming.
Some of you may smirk at such an obvious, and frequently heard technique but it’s the simple things that work. Have you REALLY tried it or did you just brush it off as obvious, too simple and “I’ll do that anyways“?
Do it. Try it.
Don’t be satisfied with the first answer you get – you’re barely scratching the surface and there is typically so much more to it.
Be curious. Find the time and energy to look past the first couple of quick, superficial responses and you will be amazed by the things you uncover.
Self-Reflection
Before I let you go, here are some questions about what makes you stand out and how you got there.
- What is a meaningful compliment someone has given you in the past 3 months?
- What is it you did to earn it?
- What did it take for you to do that?
Taking a few moments for self-reflection helps make us aware of our impact and provides an opportunity to appreciate our growth.
Give it a shot, try it out.
Even consider writing down your responses. Going back through those notes can really lift you up when you have a bad day or help when you are facing self-doubts.
I would love to hear your feedback on this news-note or if you have specific topics you would like to see in here.
…and if it’s been a while since we last connected, let’s grab a (virtual) coffee and catch up.
And always remember, even the smallest steps get us closer to our goal – but you have to take the first step!
Until Next Time, Stay Bright!
Jakob