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The Child

After the fire, his parents wisely brought him to the scene of what was once their home so he could understand and process the loss.

He had only two possessions – two stuffed toys he had grabbed in the evacuation as the fire had rapidly approached. As he stood there, clutching his toys, one in each arm, he described the scene. Through his young child eyes, things were “broken”, and “all the color was gone”.

As he talked, he dropped one of his toys. He quickly picked it up and wiped off the ashes.

And it became clear.

The only color left was what he held in his hands.

It is a powerful lesson for all of us from the wisdom of a child.

The Entrepreneur

Consider an entrepreneur who had built a highly successful business. And then, in very swift circumstances fueled by outside forces, he lost it all. Just like the little boy after the fire, all that was familiar and full of life and color was turned to ashes.

But here’s the thing: what helped him build that life and business in the first place was the color he held in his hands. His faith and strengths were still there – covered in ash – but still there.

As he realized this, he brushed off the ashes and began to rebuild.

This time, he brought a keen awareness of his previous blind spots, an appreciation of true priorities, and a strategic array of resources to build his life and business to a level of success that he never could have imagined before.

Today, his business serves others on a massive scale.

And it all started the day his dreams turned to ashes. It was only then that he could see the color he held in his hands.

You

You may find the color is gone in some area – or many areas – of life or business.

But be reminded: you hold the color in your hands.

What helped you build that business is still in you. What compelled you to create is still in you. Your ability to connect relationally and to care about others is right there, in your hands.

Yes, grieve the loss of what was. But then, grab onto your strengths, dust off the ashes, and use those strengths to rebuild. And then, in turn, use those strengths to serve others.

The needs are great. And remember, you hold the color in your hands.

For valuable resources on Leadership Strengths and Tools, click here.

Deb Ingino is a highly sought-after executive coach, mentor, consultant, and speaker worldwide. Deb is well versed in business operations and in the importance of asking key questions most business leaders won’t ask themselves. She brings deep experience in leadership development, strategy, high performance team building and effective communication. She has a passion for leading people to discover and maximize their strengths as well as those of fellow team members, while offering advanced strategies to achieve high performance. Deb is the perfect fit if you’re ready to take your leadership and impact to the next level!