3 Things I Learned About Success From Lighthouses
Credit: Paul Bica
When I was a kid, we went camping a lot. On summer weekends, we would pile bikes, raingear and enough food for 12 people (we were 4) into our blue Ford station wagon. From getting lost in the Disney campground in Florida to having lobster races on the Maine sand, we laughed, sung and cried all along the eastern coast of the US.
Some of my fondest memories of that time were visiting the ocean and particularly the old lighthouses. To me, they’ve always represented a sense of calm and clarity even in stormy times.
3 Things I Learned About Success From Lighthouses
1) A good foundation keeps you standing. Lighthouses tend to be built in exposed locations – high winds and stormy weather are common in their lives. Because of this, they are built with extra strong foundations. Likewise, in these changing times, service professionals face the emotional ups and downs of their clients every day. You need a strong spiritual foundation to stay centered when you’re surrounded by this. All of the successful helping professionals I know have daily centering practices (meditation, yoga, energy psychology, coaching, etc). Do you?
2) A lighthouse doesn’t chase people around. Can you imagine a lighthouse running down the coast chasing after a ship and trying to get it to pay attention? Well, that’s how many people approach growing their businesses. They chase after what they think is the hot topic of the day, then they’re off to something else. They try to help anyone that passes by. Instead of chasing, I encourage you to deeply explore who you can best serve. Then slow down, stand tall and start sending out information that’s helpful to that person.
3) The value is in shining consistently. The point of a lighthouse is the LIGHT (Duh, I know). It’s that light shining day after day that made them so valuable. With all the noise about instant success, it’s easy to lose sight of just how much people come to value a steady, loving presence. For instance, I’m on social media at least 5 days a week, I blog once a week and I send out a newsletter twice a month. People have come to trust and value these rhythms. It’s when I started being consistent like this that my business really started to take off.
Though technology has changed many things, people need reference points to help them negotiate these chaotic times more than ever. Perhaps your business could use a little less focus on what is supposed to be the “next hottest thing”. Instead, focus on your foundations and shining your clear message out. I think you’ll be pleasantly surprised.
What do you love about lighthouses and the ocean? What have they taught you about success? What are your struggles in terms of shining your message consistently? I’d love to hear your thoughts in the form of a comment below.
Thank you for you thoughts Paul. You are like a light house to me. Staying spiritual in the business world is a difficult task, especially because I’m starting out on my own and need to be taken seriously. The phrase “I’d like to tell you about something (energy psychology) that has changed my life;” has negative connotations. As well, tapping tends to sound like snake oil. I know I’m not alone in getting the news out about EFT. As for the ocean, it is the tide that settles me, comes in, goes out, the eb and flow. It’s always going to do that. Some tides are higher than others. Rest, gather, or try something new while the tide is out because for sure it’s coming in again and you need to stay afloat to do honour to what you have started. Keep yourself on higher ground… Hope this makes sense!
Susan,
Thank you for your kind and words (they make total sense to me). I started my business because I wanted spiritual people to know they didn’t have to feel alone. Especially in the EFT world, there are many energy/spirit aware people. You don’t have to do it alone! Are you on Facebook or open to joining? I literally know hundreds of EFTers (and other energy psych people) who use Facebook to support each other and spread the word about great EFT happenings there. Feel free to ask any questions if you’d like some help connecting to the EFT community.
Warmly,
Paul
Excellent post Paul! I took it all a step further and see how being more Lighthouse-Like might also serve me in my personal life :)especially #2) A lighthouse doesn’t chase people around…medicine for me today. Lighthouse medicine.
Thanks yet again for your beautiful inspiration and heart!
Aloha, Gina
Gina,
Very insightful! Reading your comment, I thought of how many people are “chasing” in the dating game. I’m now thinking about the lighthouse approach to dating. Also parenting as our kids get into their teen and young adult years. So many ways this could apply – thanks for deepening the possibilities Gina!
Aaahh, a lighthouse—if we take the word apart, we find light and house—immediately feeling lighter in my body,a sensation of freedom, hope, serenity, and glowing-dare I say an “aura” surrounds me signaling destination; I have found my way “home”–hence, the house.
I have often had this image yank at my heart as if to scream “pay attenton, I am here” yet never shared it before..funny how something comes to you just when you least expected it and just when you need? Wonderful how our imagination can take us to exactly where we want to be in reality?
The ocean’s power is but no other word, awesome. It ‘s beauty is riveting yet one must never take it forgranted. I hear the sound in my sleep, in my wake –if I allow–, and I am again, relaxed. The ocean is very similar to love–it’s powerful beauty is awesome but deserves respect and must not be taken forgranted.
Jenny,
Great point about home and light. Glad the image showed up at the right time for you!
Lighthouses will also become obsolete as more ships carry GPS – and that’s OK because being a spiritual entrepreneur will also become obsolete when everyone carries their own inner guidance system. That’s the eventual objective, to become obsolete at what you do – and possibly that’s not in this lifetime 🙂
Marion,
Love your point about putting ourselves out of business. And, at this moment, many people aren’t finding aligned ways to grow their businesses. Guess I should still go to work this morning in this business. 🙂
Thanks for your thoughts!
Hey Paul,
The ocean taught me to go with the flow! If you try and stop a wave with your knee, you’re in big trouble.
Lighthouses shine their brilliant light in a certain place – they are consistent – that way they will be there when folks who travel that way need them. Trying to shift your true self into a fake self to try and gauge the light of the market is not something a lighthouse would do.
Fun! G.
Hey Giulietta,
Thanks for the reminder about the ocean as a powerful teacher of flow. All life started in the ocean – we literally evolved from flow. Sometimes I forget that. Fortunately, there’s wonderful people around – like you – to help us re-member (literally means to re-embody).
Hi Paul,
I am naturally drawn to lighthouses and the ocean. I have plenty of lighthouse and ocean decorations in my home.
We have to remember that we are more than human beings. We are also spiritual beings who have light to shine upon the earth and her people’s.
Hi Justin,
This post seems to have brought out a ton of lighthouse aficionados …
“We are also spiritual beings who have light to shine upon the earth and her people’s.” LOVE it Justin! We’re so much more than the sacks of meat we walk around in. 🙂
Thanks for sharing your thoughts!
Great insight! This post resonated within me.
I am an r.e. agent of positive change and I exist because of my clients and my reputation.
Im a realtor with Keller Williams, my job allows me to faciltate change in the lives of others.
I don’t advertise much, people just find my through my spehere of influence (my little rays of light). Im lucky to have a clear value proposition and message that I send out consistently instead of chasing business. I don’t send out 10,000 post cards, I send about 500 with a note at the bottom, “ if you find my service helpful pass my information along to someone that may need it”. I’m trying to do business and be true to my values and beliefs at the same time. I’m old fashion in that I believe the single most important thing you can give someone is your time. They don’t care about your knowledge until they see that you will take the time and take action because you care. My world is surrounded by people in chaos right now. The light house is such a symbol of strentgh and parallel to the idea of standing strong offering hope in troubled waters, Its so relevant to what we need to represent as service providers.
Hi Gloria,
Thanks for your thoughtful comments! “They don’t care about your knowledge until they see that you will take the time and take action because you care.” There is a saying in the conscious business world, “People don’t care how much you know until they know how much you care.” I find that my business grows when I earn people’s trust and respect by showing up with an open heart. That’s an essential part of success in today’s economy. And, it’s challenging because like you said: “My world is surrounded by people in chaos right now.” There is a great deal of intensity and conflict. Learning tools for dealing with the strong emotional energies that accompany our time is essential!
Appreciate your time and good thinking Gloria!
Warmly,
Paul