You Can Be an Introvert and Still Take on The World
As we take a moment to honor our fallen soldiers, I hope this article written by the newest member of our P3 team inspires you. My commitment to empower our younger leaders is a privilege and one I take seriously. When I read the article I was moved and I pray that you too are inspired by her words. Let’s honor our soldiers gracefully and continue to inspire the younger leaders who are rising to greatness! Lisa H. Thomas, CEO.
The Woman Who Dared to Take on the World
Throughout the course of my week with my leader, Lisa H. Thomas, every moment has been both empowering and transformative. There has not been a single moment where I felt like I had to become someone other than myself to be an efficient member of her team.
I had different tasks, took on the days as we went, but so far, one task that I can think of that has made its mark towards my being, is the one I currently have.
As I read on her LinkedIn post about her latest speech about Growing your Kingdom Business, and from the conversations we’ve been having on our daily huddles, one message that struck me the most was the one about her being an introvert.
She’d tell me how it may actually be ironic to think about at times that despite this being her personality, she usually ends up finding herself in the spotlight - front and center of it all.
You may have heard this from her before, if you’ve ever been into a convention where she’s speaking, because this is actually something she’s not afraid to tell the world. You may have had that experience before, and have been uplifted from it, but this is a special one for me, because this was the first time I had stepped onto her light in that kind of stage.
Sure we’ve had conversations, but it’s another thing as well to see her stand in front of all those people, and see the impact it has on everyone that’s listening.
There she was, the only woman on stage, wearing her colorful dress in a platform dominated by men and gray and black suits. And throughout it all, is confidence and power, and in my mind aren’t questions but just simple admiration at how you can be seen as one thing (an introvert), and still get to be the successful woman you can be.
From the Eyes of an Introvert Across the Other End of the World
I’ve never been a shy child to be honest - but as I grew up, I grew conscious of what the world might think of me. I lived my life thinking about what seemed proper, and took on the labels society decided to put on me. I took on personality tests, as one often does, because when you’re twenty and lost, it’s easier to look at other people’s opinions on you, than admit that you still don’t know who you are - and at that time, it didn’t feel like it was okay, even though it was. I know that now, but it was a different time still.
So I searched for those results, and believed it.
And then there I was, that then-outgoing child, slowly learning how to hide away from the world, because I was afraid of the judgment they might have. I was afraid to tarnish the image they had of me, that preconceived notions they had about the girl that I was - and making that change seemed scary. Going out of my comfort zone was scary. Taking on a new world, and being introduced to one different than my own is scary, but over time I learned to do it anyway.
It was this leap that brought me to Lisa and P3, and it was reaffirming to say the least, to hear from someone THAT successful in her business and in her life that it was okay to be this person and have that personality because you can still make your impact on the world.
It doesn’t hinder it, but instead it allows you to grow, and grow into a growth mindset that would bring you to your success.
Talking to Lisa also made me realize that we don’t have to live with the labels that are put on us, we can take from it, and learn about ourselves from what we were given, from any results we may have received, but that doesn’t mean that it gets to define who we are fully and what we can do.
If I might share, her words in verbatim were, “If we adopt it (labels and results from the tests) as all of who we are, then we live into that narrative. And that belief drives our ability or inability to access dominion. It limits it, and when we limit our dominion, we can’t realize the fullness of possibilities. However, If we lean into the natural gifts that we have, possibilities are limitless. I just stepped into the gifts I’ve been given where there are limitless possibilities, and you can too. That introverted, shy girl from way back in the day, sits in front, dead center of my male counterparts, delivering the keynote speech.”
To the Successful Women We Can All Be
Lisa along with Phyllis Breech, and Lauren Brockett during the Growing a Kingdom Business Workshop last May 24, 2024.
Towards the end of our conversation, she posed a question, “For all of you, who may be fearful at times to speak, how can you speak freely and push fear in the background without concerns and worries?
And so, I can confidently answer it now from the learnings I had from her, and from P3 that to overcome it, we must accept ourselves as a person that isn’t just one thing, but as a kaleidoscope of personalities we get to have, and to tap into our gifts. Not just that, but also use it in a way that we live our lives with a purpose and a passion that drives us forward.
It’s this purpose and this passion in empowering not just ourselves nor the work we have or the businesses you might have, but it’s in empowering others that ignites that series of light that covers a successful kingdom - or queendom for us.
So for this memorial day, in addition to commemorating fallen soldiers who risked their lives for the country we have now, here’s what I encourage you to remember as well. To live life with your own personal sacrifice in mind, and make it worth it. Push through your fear. Don’t let the label of who you are stop you from who you could be, and the impact you and/or your business can make. You may be hesitant now, but just imagine, years from now, when you’ve finally taken the leap, there’s another girl all across the world, that is living life much more fuller because of what she sees in you, because of what she sees you’ve done with your life and your business.
A successful Business Kingdom awaits you, and all it takes is a change in your mindset. You may be an introvert but so what? You can take on the world.
Lisa has, and I know I have in my part of the world, especially now that I got to speak to you, the question for you now is, would you dare to?
P.S. I understand now why so many endorse her leadership amongst other skills, she empowers everyone in all that she does. Follow Lisa H. Thomas on LinkedIn for more inspiring insights and expert counsel. Connect with The P3 Group, Inc on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram to stay updated on leadership tips, business strategies, and empowering stories.