If you’re of a certain age, you well remember the great songstress Chaka Khan, and her 1978 anthem “I'm Every Woman.” Here’s the video – please watch it. Alleviate some pre-holiday stress. Because she truly was “every woman.”

As Chaka belts out, it's all in me! And really, it truly is. No, this isn’t a feminist Manifesto (though it could be) and this is not the first time you've heard me speak of music as an influence. Heck, I channeled Eminem’s “Lose Yourself” a few episodes ago! But today, I want you to find yourself, not lose yourself.

How to Find Yourself

Find yourself through inspiration. Which can come in a gazillion different forms – music, books, art, poetry, nature, storytelling cards, good times, bad times, even random conversations with strangers. But you’ll never SEE the inspiration – really home in on it – if you’re not listening. Listen, observe, digest and then take action. Listen to your intuition, and your gut. You have the answers within you. I have the answers within me. But only if we carve out the time to listen.

So, this week on “I’m a Millionaire. So Now What?” I decided to fly solo again. And the inspiration for this episode came from three distinct events over the week prior to me recording the show. I was running (or as I like to call it, “moving meditation”), and listening to music – and the Chaka Khan song popped up.

Then, as I was mucking about with my deck of storytelling cards – just a bit of fun, no, I’m not a Tarot reader – and two different cards came up. Wild woman, are you masked and muzzled? Are you hiding the essence of yourself? And then the next card was illusion, it's time to unveil that what you are hiding, time to see what is true, what is real.

Then, I had a random interaction with a stranger via LinkedIn (more details of what we talked about in the podcast episode).

Anyhow, these three things: song, cards, conversation - all intersected, and really got me thinking. About that old adage, When the student is ready, the teacher appears.”

So, while I was planning a show about the things I learned, hosting my first major online event program – Double to Sell – AND wave buh-bye to this truly horrid year, I decided to go deep and vulnerable, and share sides of myself that usually only my closest inner circle is privy to.

Get Vulnerable and Craft Your Vivid Vision

If there's one takeaway from the Double to Sell workshop, it's about developing a solid vivid vision. The power of your why, again, all of that is within, not externally. Cameron Herold shared his secret to building a strong three-year vision to guide personal and professional decisions. And it all starts with quiet, slowing down and listening to those inner thoughts.

Finding a quiet place, maybe in nature, away from electronics, definitely away from the day to day the constant notifications, the interruptions, the reminders of the must dos and should dos. So, I'm taking just that kind of time. I'm heading to a cottage for a day or so, no internet, just my yoga mat, some snacks, my journal and my thoughts. I'm going to map out my vivid vision for the next three years, which my gut is telling me will include some significant promises to myself and to you, Self Made nation. Promises that include doubling down on my instinct, intuition and my gut.

I'm going to double down and face every obstacle in search of the opportunity within, and along the way. I'm going to infuse my sassiness - so get ready!!

What’s YOUR Vivid Vision?

As we head into 2021 with an arbitrary flip of the calendar, what is your promise to yourself? What is your vivid vision for 2023? What is your big hairy, audacious goal? Remember, my big hairy audacious goal is to double the number of self-made millionaires in Canada. Can I do that by 2023? I guess we’ll all have to wait and find out!

I hope you’ll take the time to have a listen to the entire episode. And if you’re an entrepreneur looking to exit, or you’re at the helm of a thriving business or startup, I would love to talk with you about your stories! You can drop me a line here.

Plus, if you are craving like-minded conversation with growth-oriented business owners, consider joining me and eight other business owners, investors and entrepreneurs for our next edition of Elevated Conversations - watch this space for more details!