A few weeks ago, I was working in my studio and spied a hawk as it swooped down and perched on the swing set in our back yard. Fortunately, I had the presence of mind to snap this photo before he flew away.
Do you see the hawk in the picture? He was very visible to me when I took the photo, but as I looked at the photo, I realized the hawk blended in with his winter surroundings.
I posted the photo on my personal Facebook page and asked people if they could see the hawk on the swing set. One person responded that they couldn’t see the hawk at first, because they were looking on the SWINGS. They focused on the word “swing” when I asked the question. Isn’t it interesting how our minds work?
My Big Lesson
Here’s what I learned from the picture of this hawk in my back yard. It’s possible blend in without even thinking about it. This hawk blended in extremely well with his surroundings. That’s a great thing when you need camouflage to protect you from being another animal’s lunch. However, if you are hiding in plain sight, those who need to connect with you can’t see you either.
However, it’s nearly impossible to connect with potential customers you are called to serve when you’re blending in. You may know where you are. You may be able to see them, but can they see you? Are you getting lost in the surroundings?
The Cost of Blending In
Getting lost in the surroundings could be attending networking meetings, but not connecting with others beyond your current connections. It could be having a Facebook or Linked In profile, but never interacting. It could be hoping that potential clients will find you, but not reaching out to build relationships and serve those you want to work with. There are many ways to blend in. Stop for a moment and think about how you might be hiding, rather than taking the risk of putting yourself out there.
I’m positive that the hawk could see his surroundings quite well. He only stayed on this perch for a few moments and then was off to find some prey for his lunch. You may be able to see potential business opportunities, but do those you want to work with know you’re available and willing? Are you waiting in the shadows for them to approach you or are you stepping out so they can see you and connect with you?
Fear
In the past few months, many of my connections are talking about the cost of hiding. They realize they have been hiding from opportunities out of fear. It could be fear of failure or fear of success. We’re all making the decision to be more intentional about being visible to our audience, those we can serve as this year unfolds.
What about you? Are you blending in or standing out? Or are you being intentional about making sure those you want to connect with can see you? Where do you need to be seen in 2018?
