Early believers are critical to the start of every leader’s journey. They were our Initial Investors who made the deposits of belief in us expecting a high rate of return. Believers that saw more in us than we saw in ourselves at the time. It was their belief that served as the spark that ignited our fire.
Belief
Belief is a big deal this time of year. In my faith, Christians rest our total belief in the fact that our savior was born on Christmas Day. A few days later, the Jewish people will celebrate their belief behind a miracle of a candle that was supposed to only burn for one day, but burned for eight.
If faith isn’t your thing, we all shared an early belief in a jolly old elf…Santa Claus. It was the infancy of that belief that left us lying awake all night on Christmas Eve. Anticipating what was to come tomorrow.
Maybe we are ready to turn the page of the new year? Belief in the new chapter that is about to begin. Early belief that next year will be better than the last.
Early Believers
My Paw Paw was an early believer. An early believer in me. Whenever I get the opportunity to speak on leadership, I often share this story.
I was eight years old, and we were driving down Hickory Grove Road in Acworth, Georgia. I was sitting in the back of his late 1980’s Extended Cab Ford Ranger. Let me be clear, it was not an extended cab with luxurious space like today’s versions. It was the first generation of an extended cabs, one complete with two fold out seats facing each other with ZERO shoulder room, even for a kid. I literally squeezed in the back!
His friend Billy was in the passenger seat. They were carrying on a conversation as if I wasn’t there. I overheard my grandfather say something that I will never forget. He said, “Billy…he is going to be the one to do something big.”
His early belief provided the encouragement, inspiration, and motivation that would fuel my journey forward. One that gave me purpose, one that led me to be the first in my family to get a college degree, and one that would carry my career and influence well beyond what I deserve.
Belief Expressed
Paw paw’s words mattered. They left ZERO doubt that he believed in me and the potential for my life. He expressed it. If he had chosen to keep his belief in me to himself, that moment may not have Interceded my life. I could have easily drifted into a complacent, underachieving, and ordinary life.
Here is the simple strategy for being an early believer in someone…express it! Belief is never silent. It must be expressed through words. Words spoken, words written in a note, words typed in an email, or words delivered in a text message.
In order for the beneficiary of belief to be encouraged, inspired, and motivated, they must know it. They need to hear it, see it, and read it. If left unspoken, the belief is left unknown. It is rendered useless.
Expressed belief can transform an ordinary life into an extraordinary one.
Conclusion
Who were your early believers? The ones that if not for their belief, you aren’t quite sure where you would be today? Maybe it was a family member, teacher, coach, pastor, friend, or a leader in the workplace? Have you ever expressed your gratitude for it? Maybe you should. There is no better time than now!
Every single one of us is a product of someone else’s belief. We wouldn’t be where we are without it.
Here is the thing about belief, it must be passed down. If not, it will fail to exist in the lives of others. Those that believed in us left us with the awesome responsibility of believing in others, just as they did in us.
We are now the ones that possess the power of early belief in those we lead. It is our responsibility to bet on others, take chances on people, hand off responsibilities to them, and entrust the recipients of belief with the future.
The ability to believe in others is one of the most powerful tools in our leadership toolbox. But, it becomes a Leadership Superpower when used early and often in someone’s journey. A tool with limitless uses to better others and the worlds we live in.
There is no better time than now, ‘Tis the season for believing…