I’ve been on a journey with Mezzanine for 11 years now. It’s been one of the most fulfilling and rewarding experiences of my life.
For me, my passion has always been in creation and identity, at all levels. When we started out this was expressed in helping clients to actualise their dream vision for their company. But over the years, as our awareness and learning grew, we came to realise that something was missing. We were creating identities for people that stemmed purely from who they thought they should be rather than who they were. They were building something purely aesthetic to please others or fill a ‘gap’ in the market. It was external to them and therefore it was always short-lived. Like the commitment-phobe who’s always seeking greener grass, these clients were in a constant state of discontentment, uncertainty and fear in their relationships and decisions. They weren’t sure of themselves. Indecisiveness, redirection or inertia always followed – there was no guiding light, no internal compass to keep them aligned and moving forward.
On my wedding day, I described my husband as my true north. It was something intuitive that just felt right at the time. It wasn’t until years later that I actually had the awareness and understanding to articulate what I had meant by that; through his love I was led home, back to source, to my innate being and energy. Over time, I found myself and, ultimately, my purpose. Love is a wondrous thing, it’s the ultimate emancipation. (If only we could all learn to give that love to ourselves, how different the world would be).
So, how do we stay committed to something, or someone, or building our business and brand? What is it that sustains that commitment through incredible highs and devastating lows? Putting a plan in place is definitely helpful, getting clear on expectations, tracking progress, bringing passion, these are all great, but without one key pillar, eventually all of these will fall down. That pillar is purpose. Purpose is something greater than yourself and it stems from your truth. Why are you building a business? Why did you develop a product? Why did you set that goal? If those decisions were made based only on external validation or rewards then chances are you’re not truly committed.
Intrinsic purpose is the single most powerful motivator for long-term commitment. As individuals, it empowers us to choose love over fear, and opens us up to immense growth and potential in whatever we’re creating. Growing a business and brand is a long-term commitment, so is building a career, or parenting, or marriage. To me, these are all the ‘big rocks’ of life, and they all need to be anchored to a greater purpose in our minds and hearts in order for us to sustain, love and nurture them to their full potential. (Note: Full potential as I describe it is deep fulfilment, liberation, joy and success). In business, this means leveraging our purpose to envision and create the future we want, rather than assessing the external environment to identify a way for us to win.
As we’ve come to realise this through our business, we’ve become more aware and intentional in what we do because we know exactly who we are and why we’re doing it. It’s leading us home, towards our innate energy rather than away from it, and so every moment along the journey becomes rewarding. (Important work is never easy, but it’s always rewarding).
So before you jump into a brand or business strategy (or any big commitment) ask yourself why first. Keep asking until the answer sends tingles down your spine. That’s when you know. Conscious Branding was designed for the long-haul, for those who want to stand for something, for the committed, for legacy, for deep fulfilment and joy, for good and positive change in the world. That’s why we’re here. How about you?
