My son Riley has spent the last few weeks performing one of the lead roles in a Twin Cities performance of Mary Poppins. In my role as his proud dad, I have seen this show many times, and there is one line that stands out to me…
“Anything can happen if you let it.”
“If you let it.” What does that mean? I’ve found myself contemplating this at the end of every performance and I can’t get it out of my head. Looking back on 2018 and looking forward to 2019 and the future, how much of my success and progress is based on me “letting” things happen? And with that in mind, what have I been doing to not “let” things happen?
In the thesaurus, the word “let” is associated with other words like authorize, consent, cause, enable, grant, boost, and finally, “say yes.” We are in essence, when we decide to “let” things happen, giving ourselves permission to chase something, achieve a goal, or create a new outcome.
For me, the act of “letting” things happen looks like this. I put in the time and effort to make sure I am as well prepared as possible every day. I put myself in uncomfortable situations in order to open up new opportunities. I try things that are bigger than what I know I can do easily, and push my personal boundaries. I’m careful with my self talk and the words I let bounce around in my head. I make investments of time, talent, and resources to help build my team, business, and community, sometimes sacrificing short-term gains in light of long-term investments. Letting things happen means being super-intentional about doing what I can to create an environment focused on the possibilities and potential.
Not “letting” things happen looks very different. It’s being unprepared when opportunity strikes, and avoiding situations that are uncomfortable or unfamiliar. It’s being focused on short-term gains without considering the long-term consequences. It’s negative self talk, telling yourself that things are impossible, that you’re not enough, and that there’s no way that could ever possibly work. It’s never trying anything that will stretch your abilities. It’s safe, but it’s also very confining, and your full potential never gets realized in this space.
Two other lyrics in this song stand out:
“You can be a butterfly, or just stay larval.”
“If you reach for the stars, all you get is the stars. If you reach for the heavens, you get the stars thrown in.”
“Letting,” more than anything, is a mindset.
This concept could easily come off as soft or woo-woo. It’s not. It’s about intentionally getting into the right headspace. It’s about choosing to allow yourself to think big, imagining what’s possible, and aspiring to create it. And then, once you’ve envisioned what’s possible, it’s about taking massive action to “let it” happen. The act of “letting” has to move from your head to your hands to create impact.
That’s what this looks like to me. This concept gets me excited as 2019 approaches and I’m starting to set my personal and professional goals for the coming year. If this resonates with you, or you have examples of how you “let it” in your personal or professional life, share a comment below. I’d love to hear what this looks like to you.
The Takeaway
What are you doing to “let it” happen? What will this look like in your life today?
