The Colonel said, “Ya gotta allow yourself to shine, kid. Don’t spend so much time ‘looking for the light’ that you forget you can be a light, yourself.”
I think Dad struggled sometimes, wondering what to do with two daughters. I think it might have been easier for him if he’d had sons to teach and mentor. Yet, everything the 20th Century told him he should only teach sons – things like engineering, football, healthy competition, leadership, how to change a tire or the oil in a car – he took a progressive mindset and went ahead and taught his daughters.
One of the things Dad could not understand, for the life of him, is why on earth his daughters might shrink from taking the lead on a project or pretend to be less intelligent than we were. It was (and unfortunately still is) pretty common in middle and high school for girls to “dumb down,” thinking that this would make them less intimidating or more attractive to teenage boys. My sister and I were no different, although both of us snapped out of it fairly quickly after high school. The whole concept completely baffled and frustrated my father.
As adults, both men and women are sometimes hesitant to step up and step out into the spotlight for fear of what others will think of us. Will I be perceived as too pushy or aggressive? Am I too boastful?
I love a quote attributed to the wise sage “Grandma,” which says, “Someone else’s opinion of you is none of your business.” I love that, and Dad would have too.
You can’t be a significant leader if you refuse to allow your light to shine. Being willing to shine and model how to do so humbly can inspire others to step into their light and share THEIR gift that could help move their team or community forward.
No one would consciously hold someone else back from achieving their greatness. Yet, if we hold ourselves back, then perhaps the inspiration is not there for others to see and build upon. Each of us has unique gifts given to us for a reason. Use them. Don’t be afraid to inspire others. Rather than looking for a light, be willing to be a light.
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