True humility doesn’t hide its gifts.
Photo by Cameron Clark
In the past I’ve talked about how certain vocabulary habits are an indicator that we’re playing small. Today I want to share what the phrase “playing small” means.
Playing small means not fully showing up for your life.
Playing small means not taking up the space you are meant to take up.
Playing small means not charging enough out of fear of being judged by peers and competitors.
Playing small means saying yes to every inquiry, even though you know trying to do it all will drain you financially and emotionally.
Playing small means burning yourself out because a popular speaker or famous YouTuber preaches that success can only come from having a “never not working,” “sleep when you’re dead,” “coffee is for closers” mindset.
Playing small means not using your voice.
Playing small means minimizing your gifts and talents.
Playing small is a form of arrogance, falsely dressed as humility.
Whether you want a giant, scalable business that is one day listed on the New York Stock Exchange or a small yet “big enough” business with just you and your best friend on the payroll, you will have to show up, speak up, and use your gifts.
You cannot play small and expect your work to resonate with anyone on a meaningful level. Your perspective and what you bring to the table matters.
True humility doesn’t hide its gifts. True humility doesn’t play small.
Originally published January 2017
