Own Your Impact #14: Desire as Compass: Why Your Biggest Dreams Reveal Your Greatest Contribution
Your biggest desires aren't something to apologize for—they're your most reliable compass for creating meaningful impact. The thing you're afraid to want out loud is probably pointing you toward your greatest contribution to the world.
This week, I had a string of conversations with brilliant clients who all struggled with the same thing: giving themselves permission to want what they actually want. One said, "I just don't want to take up too much space." Another confessed they felt "completely blocked" when it came to claiming their own ideas. A third told me, "It just doesn't feel humble to want people to notice me and notice my ideas."
Here's what I've discovered working with thought leaders over the years: desires aren't random, and they're not character flaws. They're actually data about the unique contribution you're meant to make. In this episode, I share why the modesty contract so many of us inherited might be our biggest obstacle to impact, introduce Dan Sullivan's powerful distinction between "needers" and "wanters," and reveal how your authentic desires become the foundation for everything else in your thought leadership system—your content, platform, connections, and business model.
IMPACT POINTS FROM THIS EPISODE:
⚡ Desires Are Data, Not Character Flaws – Your biggest desires aren't taking anything away from anyone else; they're creating new possibilities for everyone. When you operate as a "wanter" rather than a "needer," you stop seeking external validation and start trusting your internal compass about where your unique gifts need to go.
⚡ True Humility Is Stewardship, Not Shrinking – Real humility isn't about making yourself smaller or hiding your gifts. It's about knowing where your talents come from and choosing to use them on purpose. Sometimes what we think is humility is actually fear dressed up in virtue.
⚡ Clarity Creates Strategic Power – When you're clear about what you want, every decision becomes strategic rather than random. Your content emerges from what you desire to teach, your platform showcases what you desire to be known for, and your business model generates revenue from what you desire to create.
PEOPLE & RESOURCES MENTIONED:
- Dan Sullivan (Strategic Coach)
- Dr. Benjamin Hardy
- The Gap and The Gain: The High Achievers' Guide to Happiness, Confidence, and Success by Dan Sullivan and Dr. Benjamin Hardy
- 10x Is Easier Than 2x: How World-Class Entrepreneurs Achieve More by Doing Less by Dan Sullivan and Dr. Benjamin Hardy
- Who Not How: The Formula to Achieve Bigger Goals Through Accelerating Teamwork by Dan Sullivan and Dr. Benjamin Hardy
- Dr. Brené Brown
- Sharon McMahon
- The Small and the Mighty: Twelve Unsung Americans Who Changed the Course of History, from the Founding to the Civil Rights Movement by Sharon McMahon
- Seth Godin
- Michelle Gifford
- Luvvie Ajayi Jones (Professional Troublemaker Podcast)
CONNECT WITH MACY:
- Take the Thought Leadership Archetype Assessment
- Follow on Instagram: @macyrobison
- Connect on LinkedIn: Macy Robison
- Visit: macyrobison.com
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