Lessons from Seth Godin on Relentless Enthusiasm, Facing Fear + Investing in Yourself

’Tis the season of goals, resolutions, no alcohol and meal prep. Because, after all, didn’t we just finish the season of over-indulgence, refined sugar and too much to drink? January always feels like a fresh start and a clean slate, regardless of how you spent your December.

We spent the holidays in the mountains of Whistler, BC where there was copious amounts of snow and endless days on skate skis. One of the highlights of our days on the “skinny sticks” was running into our friend Seth Godin and his eldest son, Alex. It felt very appropriate to wrap the last day of 2016 with Team Godin.

One of my favourite things about every conversation I have with Seth is his immense enthusiasm — it feels completely relentless and always abundant. We jammed on things like why a mostly-vegan way of life feels best for many (but not for all); why riding bikes is good for our hearts; and why New Year’s Eve doesn’t matter. Because “New Year’s Day was really just another Sunday”, says Seth. It only matters if you need a specific day to give yourself permission to set goals and declare dreams that you are otherwise too scared to do on the other 364 days of the year. “Fear is what runs our lives” he says so matter-of-factly, with an enthusiasm that says it doesn’t have to be this way.

As the conversation progressed, we began chatting about our recent work projects and the guts it takes to stay committed every single day to the art that is our careers. Every day we are faced with fear — every day we must pick up the phone and make the call or send the email, and convince our audience that things can be done differently.

Setting goals can also be fuelled by fear. Take the #1 goal set by Americans on January 1st — the goal to lose weight this year. We’re scared of the impact that carrying extra weight will put on our skeletal system and organs, we fear the health care costs, and the inability to adventure and travel with loved ones. But on the other side of fear, there is a possibility of what a healthy, vivacious, lighter life may feel like.

The same conversation is true in your career. There is fear in training your leaders to become better than you. There is fear in role redundancy. There is a list of “other places” to invest in before you invest in yourself — in your career. And this year, it’s time to get inspired to change that conversation with yourself and with your boss.

Just as you will set a goal to invest in your health and in your future savings plans, consider investing in your leadership.

What if this was the year that you began generating equity in your leadership legacy that goes beyond a title or a job description?

What if this was the year that you became the leader that everyone wanted to work for, learn from, and create the future with?

As tough as it is to create new habits, getting on the treadmill is always worth it. It’s as easy as pressing “Start.” Our hope is that the only fear you actually have is finishing 2017 as the same leader from 2016 — just like a bank account, you and your leadership are worth investing in.

Steph Corker is a people consultant at The Corker Company and co-creator of the Manager Start Line, an online management training program designed to take your people managers (and business) to the next level.