LIMI MONTOYA

arizona life coach

  • LEADERS AND THE NEXT BIG THING

    Chase the accomplishments of others, and you’ll miss out on your own greatness.

    When people ask what I do, they find out that I coach angels and that my mission is to help you be your better angel. They get curious, ask a little more, and at some point, without fail, they ask: “Are you going to be the next Tony Robbins?”

    When Kobe Bryant entered the NBA, he was hailed as “the next Michael Jordan.” The same thing happened to Lebron James when he entered the NBA. Thankfully, Kobe and Lebron established themselves by their own merits and on their own terms. They showed the world that they were Kobe and Lebron, not Michael.

    The boy band One Direction experienced something similar. After a strong debut album, many labeled them “the next Beatles.” One Direction weren’t the first to receive that label either. In the past, other bands were also considered to be “the next Beatles.” One Direction just happened to be the latest. But none ever became bigger than the Beatles.

    Great leaders understands that being “the next big thing” is not the direction to follow.

    The Next…

    Leaders don’t fall for the trap of becoming the next anything. The next Tony Robbins, the next Michael Jordan, the next Beatles. It’s not who you are!

    Your mission and talents as a leader are different from those other guys. Your road to success may parallel theirs. You may even be built on the same principles. But your success as a leader will be expressed in your own matchless flavor. None can do what you do.

    Never forget: you are the leader and champion of you!

    Chasing “the next…” is an empty pursuit. It distracts from your mission, and prevents you from manifesting your greatness. It also leads to imposter syndrome: the feeling of being a fake and a phony.

    The biggest problem with being “the next…” is that you automatically set yourself up to be outdated. Because there will always be another “next.”

    This 2012 commercial from Best Buy perfectly presents the problem of “the next…”:

    Don’t be a sillyhead. Chasing “the next…” is a fool’s errand.

    The One and Only

    Instead of seeking to be the next big thing, great leaders work toward being The One and Only. In the tech industry there is only one Google, one Facebook, one Apple. History only has one Amelia Earhart, one Ella Fitzgerald, and one Frida Kahlo. And when it comes to fictional villains, no one comes close to imitating Darth Vader, the Joker, or Voldemort.

    Being a One and Only is where greatness lies. The legendary boxer Muhammad Ali understood this. He fully owned who he was, and what he was about. He didn’t chase the accomplishments of others. Rather, he made his mark on the world (not just in boxing) by focusing on unleashing his inner champion.

    Did Muhammad Ali have critics? Yes. Did he offend some people? Of course he did. That’s what happens when you become a One and Only.

    Be Your Own Category

    In his podcast The Accidental Creative, Todd Henry reminds us that “cover bands don’t change the world.”

    If you spend your time trying to copy a style, looking to attract the masses, or following trends, you will not be One and Only. You will be an imitator. A cover band.

    Bands like the Beatles change the world because they focus on qualities that make them unique and timeless. They focus on the purest and highest expression of their talent. They make their own category.

    Shakespeare was not the first to write a play. But he invented new words in the english language, challenged the conventions of his day, and adapted universal themes to his form of expression. In the process he created a category for himself and his plays: Shakespearean.

    Recap

    What kind of leader do you want to be? The next big thing? Or The One and Only?

    Don’t be a sillyhead. Trying to be the next big thing is shortsighted. The next big thing comes and goes. It is quickly replaced by the next next big thing.

    The One and Only changes the world because it is inimitable. No other person or thing comes close to expressing the genius of the One and Only.

    Being One and Only means creating your own category. And it’s the hallmark of true leaders.

    Thank you for reading!

    Everything I write is with the goal of helping you. If this post was helpful, please share it with someone you know. It might help them out.

    If you would like improve as a leader, and be the One and Only version of yourself, schedule a call with me to get started today.

    In the meantime, may good find you!

    (Photo by Aziz Acharki on Unsplash)

  • This is not for you

    [youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e7IfKyifiNo?rel=0&w=560&h=315]

     

    An invitation to connect with Limhi Montoya.

    What you seek is seeking you

    – Rumi

    This is one way of telling the Universe what I’m seeking. I believe you are out there searching for someone who can help. Someone who can point the way to the things you seek. Let’s connect and change the world together!

    I invite you to be your better angel. The world needs us to step up and be angels for each other. I look forward to connect with you.

    Until then,

    May good find you!

  • What a 3-year-old taught me about personal development

    When you’re a kid, personal development is just called life, and every day is a milestone. Approach life with childlike curiosity, and you will accelerate your personal growth.

    I’ve taken care of my 3-year-old niece for the past three months. It’s been an adjustment to say the least. But it’s also been one of the best things to happen for my personal development.

    My niece puts everything into crystal clear perspective. Her innocence and honesty leaves no room for doubt. And her curiosity about everything is matched by her tenacity to try everything.

    She recently started potty training. It didn’t go so well at first. When I asked if she wanted to go potty, she refused. If she did agree to sit on the toilet, nothing happened. This went on for a couple of weeks. Then one day she said, “I want to wear my big girl underwear.”

    So she put on her big girl underwear, and wouldn’t you know it, she started going potty! Now she tells me when she needs to go, runs to the bathroom, and sits on the toilet. And when she starts going, she smiles with pride.

    Personal Development is like Potty Training

    When my niece first started potty training she wasn’t ready. She hadn’t decided that going to the bathroom was something she was going to do. That’s why she refused and didn’t cooperate. It’s why even if she agreed to try, she just sat on the toilet and nothing happened. But once she made the decision to go potty, she was all in and started doing it on her own. The same is true in the area of personal development.

    Significant growth does not happen until you decide. Others may bribe or coax or nag or plead or threaten, but you will refuse to do it. Even if you are persuaded to try it out, nothing will happen. Just like my niece who sat on the toilet without anything happening because she didn’t want to go potty. Once you decide, you make progress.

    Success begins with a decision. There are many decisions to make on the way to success and personal development. But as long as you keep making decisions, you will progress.

    Decisions determine destiny.

    – Thomas S. Monson

    Put on your “big girl underwear”

    Decisions without action are just wishes. You haven’t really made a decision until you act. When my niece decided she was ready to potty train, she acted. She put on her “big girl underwear.”

    Personal development requires that you “put on your big girl underwear.” This means doing what is necessary regardless of your doubts or fears. The necessary action may be uncomfortable or embarrassing, but you’re committed to doing it because you know progress will be made. Sometimes it needs to be massive action. Other times it’s something small. Whatever the case may be, if you really want to make progress, you must act.

    Actions demonstrate commitment. You are only as committed as your willingness to act. This is true in business, relationships, and personal development. Those who make the most progress are the ones who are most committed. You can tell a person’s level of commitment by their actions. The mantras of the committed are:

    “Show. Don’t tell.”

    “Actions speak louder than words.”

    “Do or do not. There is no try.”

    “Accidents” happen

    My niece is still new to the whole going to the bathroom thing. She hasn’t quite mastered it yet. Every now and then she’ll have an accident. And that’s ok because she’s still learning.

    Having “accidents” is part of personal development. It’s what helps us grow the most because it exposes an area for improvement. When Navy Seals prepare for a mission, they practice for months before being deployed. They run through the mission over and over again, exposing flaws and weaknesses and mistakes. They meticulously study their mistakes, and then they work to correct them. Learning from their errors helps them prepare for the mission ahead. When it’s time to deploy, they’re confident the mission will be a success because they allowed themselves to fail first.

    Snowboarders and surfers know that the key to improving is accepting you will fall. When you accept this, you improve. If you want to progress in any area of your life, accept that you will make mistakes. Those mistakes will be the key to unlocking your full potential.

    Have sufficient courage to make mistakes.

    – Paulo Coelho

    Recap

    Personal development begins the moment you decide. Your decision is made when you take action. “Put on your big girl underwear” and get to it. Mistakes are part of growth and improvement. Make them anyways.

    What decision must you make in order to progress?

    What action must you do now to manifest that decision?

    How will you “put on your big girl underwear?”

    Will you accept mistakes and learn from them?

    Thank you for reading!

    Everything I write is with the goal of helping others. If this post was helpful to you, please share it with someone you know. It might help them out.

    If you would like to rapidly accelerate your personal development, schedule a call with me today.

    (Photo by Caroline Hernandez on Unsplash)