Origin Is The Ground You Build On & How It Shapes Your Leadership
We often think of our origin as the opening chapter of our story. Where we grew up. What our families were like. The experiences that shaped us. The people and places that formed our earliest understanding of ourselves and the world.
But our origin is more than our backstory. It’s the ground we build on. It’s the infrastructure (i.e., structural foundation) of our lives and, more to the point, our leadership presence. It influences what feels familiar or threatening, what we expect from other people, and what we believe we need to do to belong. Long before we become leaders, we learn how to read a room, earn approval, or navigate conflict. It creates the size of our comfort zone and teaches us how much space we’re allowed to take, and whether it’s safe to be ourselves.
There is a moment that catches you off guard when life slows down. The calendar opens up. No one needs an answer from you. There isn't a major decision waiting to be made or a project rescued. For once, there is nowhere you have to be and nothing you have to accomplish. And instead of feeling relieved, you feel... unsettled.
Fear is a part of being human. It can protect us and help us pay attention to what matters. Or it can become a powerful force that keeps us from moving toward the life we want.
When most people talk about “how to take care of yourself”, the advice usually centers on getting more sleep, eating nutritious foods, exercising regularly, and making time to relax.