She beat her “Yeah-Buts” to the punch

One day back in 2009, Glennon wrote a Facebook post called, “25 Things About Me.” She had seen other posts with the same title and was sick of her fake social life. While her baby took a nap, she let it rip. Her number six was, “I’m a recovering food and alcohol addict, but I still find myself missing food and booze in the same twisted way someone can still love a person who beats them and leaves them for dead.” Her friend’s number six was, “My favorite snack food is hummus.” 

Fast forward two years. Glennon has a blog and her web developer adds share buttons. A few hours after she posts her blog that day, the share counter hits 250,0000. She thought it was broken. It wasn’t. Ten years later, Glennon Doyle is a bestselling author of three books, a social activist, and the Founder of Together Rising, a non-profit helping women around the world.

When you slow down the fast forward button and look at what Glennon did, you’ll find a solid strategy to Morph Native Genius. When you understand this simple strategy, you’ll be more courageous Morphing your own Native Genius into work you love.

As she typed away, Glennon had no grand plan or intention of becoming a writer. She had a simple impulse of desire to write a real list about herself. Then she did it. 

Here’s what she didn’t do. She didn’t get buried under an avalanche of her own “Yeah-Buts.” She took action, right then. We all have impulses of desire. But instead of jumping on just one of them like Glennon did, most people’s impulses get buried under their own “Yeah-Buts” like these…

• “Yeah-But this will never amount to anything.” 
• “Yeah-But I might not do this well.” 
• “Yeah-But I might let someone down.” 

What’s sad is that at least the first two “Yeah-Buts” are solid indicators that the thing IS your Native Genius. “Native” means it will feel insignificant and you won’t think you do it very well (at least in the beginning). 

What’s special about what Glennon did is that she took action before her divine impulse got lost in the scramble of her “Yeah-Buts.” In her most recent New York Times best seller, Untamed, Glennon says, “Shorten the time between the knowing and the doing.” This will beat your “Yeah-Buts” to the punch. 

When you’re not able to beat your “Yeah-Buts” to the punch, name them—to yourself, to your journal, or to a friend. It doesn’t matter how. By naming them, you reduce their power over you. Naming them quiets the part of your brain that keeps you stuck and turns on the part of your brain that takes action. (Proven science—check out Brené Brown or Dan Siegel to name a few). Next get someone to metaphorically hold your hand while you do the thing—even if you feel like a kindergartener asking for support to do Such. A. Little. Thing. (I do this all the time. Ask my friends and they’ll tell you about all the times they hold my hand to do Such. A. Little. Thing.)

After Glennon posted those truth bombs on Facebook, her pastor invited her to speak at her family’s church. After speaking to the congregation, she told her then husband, “This is what I’m going to do. I’m going to be a truth teller.”

It was only after Glennon took action that she found her way. It’s only in the rear-view mirror that she recognizes that first Facebook post as the pivotal moment. That was the “nothing” impulse she followed, skirting right around any “Yeah-Buts.” You’ll never know what your pivotal moment will be until you follow your impulses of desire.

Give yourself permission to follow just one.