Limits and Liabilities: How to use where you come from to get where you’re going – Sherry Walling – MicroConf Europe 2015 Talk Recap

The MicroConf Europe 2015 Talk Recaps can be found on the central “hub” page.

Website: zenfounder.com
Twitter: @zenfounder
Slides:

Key Points From the Talk

• own your story
• know your past and the weaknesses & strengths you get because of your past

Talk Recap

• When you are the sole driver of your business, everything else matters WAY more
  • emotional well-being, enough sleep, physical fitness ALL affect your bottom line

How your past shapes your present

• Who you are right now in this moment is an accumulation of all the past moments
• If we don’t pay attention to the messages we received, we won’t be able to make the most out of our strengths and weaknesses
• Abuse, neglect and household dysfunction as a child is a robust predictor of how much healthcare support you will need in your adult life
  • People with 4+ categories of “Adverse Childhood Experiences” were 2x as likely to be diagnosed with heart disease or cancer than someone with <4
  • People with 4+ ACEs were 460% more to suffer from depression
  • 6+ ACE shortened an individual’s lifespan by almost 20 years
• We can’t change what happened in childhood, but we can change adoption of health-risk behaviors
• The same things that can hurt us can also make us incredibly strong
• The important thing is NOT how scary your liabilities are, the important thing is that you do NOT look the other way
• the golden child
  • gives you a lot of confidence
  • shadow side: you might lack grit
• the loner
  • incredible ability to trust your own ideas
  • good problem solver
  • you don’t seek permission
  • shadow side: difficult to understand your customers, lacking empathy
• the pleaser
  • growing up in a demanding family (“You’ll be a lawyer!”)
  • able to anticipate needs & wants of others
  • shadow side: perfectionist
• the survivor
  • great ability to protect yourself
  • good at competition, a lot of grit
  • shadow side: difficult to feel accomplishment

The past matters

• From the founder origin stories
  • lots of adversity – but enough support to hang in there
    • use friends/masterminds to talk through tough spots
  • The need to create an original path
    • not following a script
  • intelligence, curiosity and hard work
• Own your story
• not owning your story
  • forcing what has never worked for you

Practical Strategies to own your own story

• Start tonight
• write your personal story
  • go on a retreat
  • use a free writing method
  • work with a coach or therapist
• tell your story in your matermind group
• write or record the origin story of your business
• cultivate self-reflection to watch your story unfold in front you

-Christoph