Stretching your way to growth...
It's not a new concept. We grow, personally, when we put ourselves in tough situations. When we stretch ourselves, take on more than we think we can handle or allow ourselves to feel discomfort...that's when the magic happens. Either that or we simply have a nervous breakdown. While that is entirely possible, have some faith (I am speaking to myself right now!!).
This week, our 4th Annual Unsung Heroes - Sing for Tomorrow in support of Imagine a Cure for Leukemia is being cast, we are prepping for info night for our first ever Teen Edition in support of Partners for Mental Health and I have been working with venues to finalize the details of our Camp Firesong show next spring which will help send kids to camp through Jewish Family and Child. Oh yeah, all this is on top of prepping for a massive launch at work...just the birth of a brand new company and brand...no biggie (yes, I have a day job outside of these shows).
Of course I knew expanding what we do from one production to three per season was going to be demanding but I didn't realize how all three would converge like this. I thought maybe the work would happen in succession...although deep down inside I likely knew it was going to be like this. Truthfully, I even likely wanted it to.
"I thought maybe the work would happen in succession...although deep down inside I likely knew it was going to be like this. Truthfully, I likely wanted it to."
It's only when things are this crazy that we rise to the occasion and leapfrog our previous thinking. Necessity truly is the mother of invention. One such evolution for UHP is the formation of our committee. After all, you can't expect to grow on your own...even for a control freak like me, I knew that I needed help from others to do more. And with the need and the reputation our shows have built, came the volunteers. Passionate people who care about UHP and what we are trying to do. We have assembled a really great committee and I can already see the difference it makes.
What's more, there is so much buzz about what we are doing that new people are looking to come on board as part of sub-committees for each show. It's really a beautiful thing to see this little idea from a few years ago, that began with honouring my late mother, grow into something that so many people want to be part of. I am learning to adapt, to leverage these great people, to let go of tasks in order to focus on many of the new challenges we face with our expansion.
Not only is being stretched teaching me to let go and delegate more but it's starting to spark a higher capacity for fundraising creativity and drive. The committee and I are thinking bigger than before, shooting higher in the types of support we hope to achieve, the type of buzz we hope to create and the type of experience we will provide to our cast and audience. I don't want to spill any beans but it's remarkable to see that in the midst of so much chaos, there is actually clarity in how to keep evolving the project.
"...in the midst of so much chaos, there is actually clarity in how to keep evolving the project."
So really, beyond the catch phrases and cliches, do something to stretch yourself. Do something that scares you (fear and friend both start with an F for a reason). Take something on BEFORE you know how you are going to do it. I promise you, whatever happens, whether it's a huge success or swing and a miss, you will come out the other side with more tools then you went in with.
