You know about your ‘lizard brain’ right? It’s that part of our brain that came along first and was responsible for keeping us alive – fight, flight or freeze. Super handy when we were being chased by sabre-toothed tigers, less handy when you’re trying to talk yourself into taking a career risk. The lizard will show up as you’re about to try something new and it will say ‘hey buddy… why would you want to put yourself out there like that? You don’t need to take that kind of risk. You’re better off staying put just where you are.’ The lizard whispers that we’re not ready for that promotion, or that we ‘shouldn’t’ ask for what we want (in case we get slapped down). The lizard is well-intentioned. It wants to stop you from getting hurt. It’s trying to protect you. I feel like the lizard brain is like a well-intentioned helicopter parent. It doesn’t want you to get hurt, but by providing too much safety, it’s stunting your growth. The reality is that your confidence and self-esteem are cultivated by leaning into your lizard and pushing past his or her cautions to stretch yourself into new things. Growth will not happen inside your comfort zone and, in today’s rapidly changing world of work, the best currency you will have will be your ability to be curious and adaptable and take risks. All things that make your little lizard sweat.
#leadershiptruth
