Step Into the Room

August 16, 2024

“Remember that you belong in any room you enter. And if you don’t feel like you truly belong, act like you belong.”  – Shonda Rhimes

Step Into the Room

When I caught up with Codie Sanchez earlier this year, she was clear, “Show me your friends and I’ll show you your future….Start hanging out with people for whom your dream is just another Tuesday.” I couldn’t agree more. The power of playing up is nothing short of transformative.

Finding your people doesn’t happen by default. But, wherever you find yourself today, you can start purposefully building your community. Seek out those traveling the path you’ve chosen.

I’ve spent years knocking on the doors of my heroes. Can I come in? Last year, Donald Miller invited me to mastermind with some non-fiction legends at his home. I was as terrified as I was excited. My team prepped me. I had a doc with everyone’s names and pictures. “Hi, Amy Porterfield. I’ve been listening to your podcasts for a decade…” 🤩

When I arrived, I wandered the space looking for a friendly face. I  had only met one or two people before. I was anxious. There was a dry patch on my nose that I kept rubbing. In the end, I swiped at it one too many times and my nose started bleeding. I retreated to the bathroom in a state of total mortification. I paced, wondered how many people had noticed, and held a paper towel to my nose. I almost bailed. Somehow, I pulled it together. I took a deep breath, shut down the negative self-talk, and stepped back into the room.

When I came back out, an author I’d interviewed was waiting for the bathroom. He hugged me and admitted he was totally overwhelmed. Would I hang with him and introduce him to a few people? 🧐 This guy was famous and he was nervous.

As I connected with more people, almost all of them had that same voice of doubt in their head. But we were all in the same room.

Move past your doubts. The doors you belong in are never locked.  Step into the room and just be you. You’ll be surprised how welcoming your heroes can be. They all had to step into “that room” for the first time, too. And as you grow and seek out your community, there will always be a bigger room you’re stepping into.

This year, I returned to that mastermind. I felt all the feels again. But, I moved past them faster. I was even invited to give a talk on how we ran book cubs and education during the pandemic shutdown. Here’s the thing: It gets easier. And the relationships you build will lift you higher.

Step into the room. Be you. And know you belong.

One question to ponder in your thinking time: What door should you be knocking on that fear has held you back from?

Make an Impact!
Jay Papasan

Co-author of The One Thing & The Millionaire Real Estate Agent ​