I recently became a father (for the second time). Exciting!

So I thought I’d send 3 key reflections that I’ve learnt from my “Second Child Syndrome” and how they apply to your business and leadership.

1. When building Confidence, “Experience trumps Knowledge” 

When we had our first child, Jonah, I read tons of books and talked to lots of people about how to make having a first child work well.

But nothing really could have prepared me for the actual experience of having a child.

The sleepless nights, routine challenges and unpredictability of their emotions all take their toll and provide “opportunity” to learn.

Reflecting on my confidence when having Georgia (as our second child) it’s immensely higher than any confidence I built before having Jonah.  I’m not downplaying the power of paper knowledge, but I am trying to magnify the power of applied knowledge and experience.

In life, it’s only when we take action on the knowledge we learn that true transformation occurs.  Knowledge is potential power, but action is true transformational power.  

The experience of stepping out with a project or idea will far surpass the learning of watching someone else do it.  

2. You’re never [fully] ready

We all value certainty.  We all have a neurological driver in us that wants to create some level of stability and consistency in our life.  The problem is that every growth experience is outside of our comfort zone.  Even though Sarah and I did talk about having our second child and planned as much as possible for it, I personally would say I never felt 100% ready for it.  I think you have to, at some point, trust your decision and back yourself.  

Many people live their life waiting for the perfect property market, stock price or job interview to get started and the truth is, it doesn’t exist.  In a previous blog I called this idea “Release your 1.0”. 

I’ve heard it said that Navy seal will risk their life on 70% of information.  They only need to have 70% certainty to risk their life, but many of us need 100% certainty to risk a few dollars.  Go figure.

How is it true, that you are ready for your next challenge [insert challenge here]?

3. Your capacity expands to make room

A friend of mine, who now has 3 children, recently reflected that he didn’t know if he could love his third child the way they loved his first two.  He wasn’t sure if he had the capacity or “love reserves” to give the same amount of affection to another person.  However, when his third child came along, almost “miraculously” he had the instant ability to love…even more.  That capacity was always there, it was just never required to surface until the opportunity arrived.

You’ll expand to the size of your challenge. 

Life hands us what we can handle.  

If you can find the resilience, courage and resolve within yourself then you’ll find a way through.

Keep trusting yourself, growing and expanding into the amazing person you know you are.

Anyways…

Here are some photos of little “baby” Georgia Lily