The 5 Audacities of Women who Lead 2/5
- D Bester
- 2 minutes ago
- 3 min read
In the previous blog post in this series, I covered the topic that "Dreaming is Free". All audacious women know how to dream audaciously. This kind of dreaming isn't just about obviously achievable things. To dream audaciously is to dream big and scary – even impossible! However, it must go beyond merely visualising images in one's mind and also include the belief that it can become reality.
A person with a dream opens up what is known as their RAS – the reticular activating system. In other words, becoming open to the suggestions and a general awareness of clues, which can lead you to achieving the dream. Here is an example: if you bought a new car recently, isn't it funny how you would see cars exactly like that one all over the place? It's not magic; your awareness has kicked into high-alert mode. So, while you're in active dreaming mode, your RAS is working behind the scenes to help you find clues or opportunities.
FUN FACT: Your dream does not have to have immediate evidence that it can be achieved.
This brings us to our next AUDACITY
Audacity No. 2
OPPORTUNITYISNOWHERE
Read that again. Now ask yourself: did I see opportunity is nowhere, or opportunity is now here?' The audacious mind might immediately notice that opportunity is now here, but don't be hard on yourself if you saw 'nowhere' first; you can adjust your perspective at any time.
When I was fantasising about living a life of adventure, I didn't know about this thing called the Reticular Activating System. However, I did have an inkling that my thoughts can manifest reality. When did my RAS create the clue to my audacious dream of climbing Mt Everest? It happened on a Sunday afternoon. I was having an average Sunday, reading the papers, drinking a cup of tea and munching away at some koesister. And suddenly this headline jumped out at me:
And, just like that, my average life as a school teacher shifted into a completely different gear. It was not that obvious yet on this particular Sunday, but soon my life was going to change dramatically! All I knew at that moment was that opportunity is now here! I had to do something about it ASAP!
But what about luck?
One could argue that it was lucky that I saw the opportunity. Maybe so. If you've been in any of my talks, you will know the story of how I ferociously read that article looking for clues about getting in contact with the team leaders. As luck would have it, there was an application form at the end of the article. The form invited South African women to apply and motivate for selection to be on the team. I had so much urgency to complete that form, I started my application immediately. South Africa's democracy was a mere 18 months old. Many of us were still saturated with mindsets that 'people like us' don't dream about things like this. I thought to myself: "What if an opportunity like this never comes around again?" I had to take a shot at it. The following weeks went by like months to me. But then something happened.
A few weeks later I received confirmation that I was shortlisted to participate in the 2nd round of selection. During that time, I had a conversation with a friend and colleague. She asked me how I got so lucky. It turned out that she saw the same newspaper headline and article; she "just didn't see" the application form. Only six out of over 200 who spotted the opportunity received the letter below.
Opportunity favours the prepared mind.
What my friend didn't realise was that I had been dreaming, fantasising and – maybe even obsessing – over the idea of "one day seeing Mt Everest with my own eyes" since I was a little girl. There was no evidence at the time that it was possible. In fact, it was highly improbable during the 1970s and 1980s in South Africa.
If you are looking for and waiting on opportunities, my challenge to you is to start preparing in your mind first. Think it, dream it, and remind yourself of it regularly. One day you will suddenly have an "I got it!" moment. Knowing what you want ahead of time is the best kind of preparation because it opens your RAS (awareness) to where the opportunities are. Once you're aware, the real fun starts, which I will cover in the next AUDACITY – so keep a look out for it.
Scan here to explore more
Comments