Channel your Chutzpah

chutzpah/ˈxʊtspə,ˈhʊtspə/

extreme self-confidence or audacity (usually used approvingly).”love him or hate him, you have to admire Cohen’s chutzpah”

As a parent of a three year old daughter I’m keenly aware that she will do as I do and not as I say. That pushes me to constantly strive to be the best version of myself and find the right balance in all my roles and passions in life. Wife, mother, family member, employee, human being and friend. I’m constantly interchanging audio-books to help me on this quest as I absolutely love all of these areas of my life and want to live each to the fullest

My dear friend Rapinder suggested a book called “Flex” by Annie Auerbach and this book had me at hello. This blog will be a work in progress but I felt the need to share the sentiments just after the first chapter as I know I’m not alone in this quest.

Channel your Chutzpah!

Many of the jobs we trained for in school won’t exist in 10 years. The more robotic our behaviour – the more vulnerable we are to robots taking our place.

The Economic forum predicts that creativity will be one of the top three skills we will need in the future. The more we flex our creativity muscle- the more we future proof our skills. To me this means that being a rebel is no longer a faux pas but rather a necessity to survive in the new digital world we live in. So how do we remove the distractions to ensure we have the space to breath and do this? Our employers need this from us and we need to lead and be brave with our new ideas.

How to channel your chutzpah

1. Notice the moments when you have been brave in the past. When you owned up to a mistake, or you called our an injustice. Why did you do it? How did it make you feel? Do more of this.

2. Don’t feel self conscious and let it inhibit your ideas. No one is thinking about you. This sounds sad, but it’s actually so liberating! No one thinks about you because they are too busy thinking about themselves.

Coco Chanel “I don’t care what you think about me, I don’t think about you at all”

3. Work out who diminishes your bravery. These people are drains. Surround yourself with people who boost your mojo.

4. Done is better than perfect. Get it out there. (I struggle with this one)

5. If all else fails, channel Dolly Parton – Find out who you are and do it on purpose.

If we are going to compete with the automation of the 4th industrial revolution and prepare our children to do the same – we MUST add value to the process. We must be brave with our new ideas and nurture our creativity. In doing so we become irreplaceable and valued. It’s not about being ahead of your time. It’s about the value and different perspectives you can bring to the time you are living in – now.

Thank you Annie Auerbach for the inspiration. I am looking forward to my commutes this week to finish this book!