Conscious leadership is not about working towards the goal of becoming someone or something that you are not already.
It’s about gaining a clear understanding of your power and truth, outside of your comfort zone.
This is a process that initially may not feel great. When you step outside of your comfort zone, you are laying down the armor of your identity, literally changing the physical, emotional, mental, energetic and spiritual dynamics. In this altered state you might not understand your instincts — yet. Or be practiced in feeling vulnerable — yet. And, without realizing it, it’s easy to reach for old habitual thinking.
What are the thoughts you have when you are in your least confident state?
Watch for these thoughts to surface when you are in a state of discomfort. It does not mean the thoughts are true. They are just familiar. Familiar equals comfortable. Which is why our brains go there. Our brains are wired to keep us safe.
Without understanding vulnerability’s root purpose as the key to connection, the sensation of feeling vulnerable can send you scrambling for a comfort zone A.K.A. an old familiar story. These types of stories are mental constructs created to protect your identity. However when you are ready to grow and reach a new level of consciousness, instead of protecting you, these stories become a hindrance.
Time to write a new narrative:
“What would it feel like to step outside of my comfort zone where I believed in myself?”
Vista Caballo works with conscious leaders ready to step outside their comfort zones. At the edge of their comfort zone, leaders learn just how much — or how little — they trust themselves.
A newly appointed CEO wanted to examine new levels of consciousness and leadership in himself in order to take his company to the next level.
Despite his resume and accomplishments, deep down he doubted he was fully qualified to lead effectively in this new terrain. He was able to see the impact of his doubt in real-time in our Horse+Human Experiential Simulator.
Horses are the best teachers when learning to be fearlessly honest and genuine with ourselves — this is critical to stepping into the unstoppable zone.
Because horses are prey animals, they read us just like the rest of their environment.
They read our emotions and intentions.
You cannot lie to a horse.
And when you are taking yourself to your next level of consciousness, you absolutely want to lay down any false pretenses, otherwise you won’t get there.
The CEO entered the arena with three horses at liberty. None of them were tethered — all were free to choose their actions.
Lisa Arie, Co-founder and CEO of Vista Caballo asked, “What would you like to have happen?”
He said, “I’d like to have these three horses follow me.”
At Vista Caballo, one of the main principles we teach is the power of intention. At that moment, as he stepped forward, so did all three horses.
After a few minutes of following, without provocation, the horses stopped. The CEO sensed a change, took a few more steps, stopped and turned around to face the horses. The horses stayed still, staring back at him.
Lisa asked, “What happened? What were you thinking right before you sensed that the horses had stopped?”
He was stunned. Nodding his head, he started laughing. “I was thinking this is great. This feels great. This is what I want. Then I thought, ‘I wonder if they are going to stop following me.’”
He experienced the power of his habitual thinking in real time and how it impacted the reality he wanted to create.
He reset himself. He refocused his intention — to be the leader and to be sure about it. The horses followed, and kept following as long as he walked.
When he stopped, the horses stopped.
Not before.
Not after.
With him.
He looked at her with a face splitting grin.
“I can do this. I am qualified to do this. In fact, the question at hand is not about being qualified. It’s about being open to not knowing, to staying present — and how I lead while I am doing that.”
He found his power and truth outside of his comfort zone.
Celebrate the process of learning how to use your vulnerability as a key to unlock your confidence.
Vulnerability is part of you.
Wired into you for your ultimate success as it is an indicator that you need to connect.
When you are in tune with your vulnerability, it increases clarity, diminishes stress and boosts your agility in creating solutions to problems. Which is why it matters to learn how to use your vulnerability as a key to confidence.
When you stay open to your vulnerability, chances are you’ll start to notice that you feel better — more empowered. And so will those around you: family and team members, business partners and friends. You can equate that behavior to feeling good. And feeling good… feels good, so you’ll do it more!
As you come face to face with your vulnerability, use your courage to stay open to it, and to engage the wisdom of what it is telling you: to connect.
Not to your old story, but to the truth.
In that truth awaits a new reality and the life experience that you want.
The truth resides in you. It’s there to challenge you to be more than what you think you are.
At your edge you will feel vulnerable. That’s normal. It’s there to remind you to connect to yourself, to the present moment, to stay conscious to take you to your next level of confidence and consciousness.
This leadership development tip is adapted from “What Happens When A CEO Commits to Feeling Vulnerable.”
Are you ready to transform from a top performer to an unstoppable conscious leader?
Vista Caballo’s science-based framework empowers and equips conscious leaders to become unstoppable in leading their best lives and solving our world’s challenges. Our frameworks are designed for leaders who know that only through the power of self-discovery will they be able to create solutions to the social and environmental challenges we face.
Join us. Equip and empower yourself to transform from where you are to where you want to be and, in doing so, transform our planet.