#MondayInsight:

When I was a kid, we had a family cottage in Holland, Michigan, by Lake Michigan. One of the iconic symbols of Holland is “Big Red” – the lighthouse shining at the end of the canal (pictured here). 

It’s an evocative image for me, and the other day someone was coaching me, and at one point, they just stopped, looked at me, and said, “Jeffrey, remember… you are a lighthouse.” 

It was such a valuable reflection and reminder for me because when I forget that I’m a lighthouse, I get busy trying to push things forward using my personal will and lots of energy… most of which doesn’t yield a whole lot of results.

I bet you can relate.

And when my mind starts leading, I get into action that’s disconnected from my essence., abandoning my post at the lighthouse.

As a result, it’s no longer in service…

So the people looking for my support can’t see me. Yes, they’re out there – but when my business ebbs, it’s almost always because I’ve left my post at the lighthouse. 

If this sounds familiar to you, I want to share a few thoughts…

• People navigate into your port because there is something that they are looking for in your port. They need to be equipped in some particular fashion so they can take their next step – and they’re actively looking for the place they can get refueled and re-equiped.

   

• Lighthouses shine at night, so the people looking for your port are in the dark in some area of their life or business…. but if they can’t see your light, they’ll continue to go unserviced, drifting past you in the moonlight.
• When you leave your lighthouse post, your revenue always takes a hit… and the longer you’re gone, the bigger the hit will be. This can add up to thousands, or more likely, millions of dollars over time. 

One big way you shine your light as a lighthouse is through your messaging. 

Not the kind of messaging that seeks to prove and convince…

But the kind of messaging that connects, illuminates new pathways, and helps the right people see what their life or business could be like if they entered your port and did the transformative work that at some level they’re looking for. 

It’s messaging that shines the light of hope…

Which is sorely needed in our world today.