Tammy Letherer 
I admit I’ve never read Mitch Albom’s The Five People You Meet in Heaven, but I’ve been thinking of it anyway because of five people who taught me an important lesson this week.
I was in a complete funk, stressed out and shut down in the face of a problem that seemed to have no solution. I had a decision to make—one that would require not only a financial investment but also would force me to step into a bigger, bolder version of myself.
In the words of Anais Nin, “the day came when the risk to remain tight in a bud was more painful than the risk it took to blossom.”
It was that day. Actually, it had been a series of those days.
Now, I’ve been pretty comfy in my bud, especially when it comes to what I’ll call “exposure.” I write roughly 500 words a week in this blog and send it out to a few hundred people, many of them people I know who are friendly and kind. I’ve talked about my upcoming book, but mostly in the way you describe something at a distance. It’s out there, happening someday. Maybe because, for so long, the anticipation has lived in my head and it’s made itself at home there.
But in order to me and my book to blossom, I need to promote it. That means splashing my personal stories across pages that may reach a much wider audience, maybe speaking in front of people, perhaps even facing people who won’t like what I’ve written.
The time has come to decide how bold I dare to be. And to back that decision with action, action that requires an investment of time and money.
That’s scary.
So there I was, in my funk, when I decided to share my doubts with five friends. I presented my options and my fears, expecting at least a few words of caution. Instead, I was blown away by their support.
And what surprised me the most was that their vision of my success was bigger than my own.
I heard things like:
Go for it.
You were born to do this.
All your work has been leading to this point.
Believe in yourself.
Now, these are not magical unicorn uber-friends. They’re people who struggle with their own doubts and pound their heads up against their own stupid walls. But they all know the importance of holding a vision. They understand the power of possibility. Most importantly, they know how to call out fear for the imposter it is.
These are the kind of people you MUST have in your life if you want to succeed.
Can you identify five of them?
Start by asking:
Do they represent what I value?
Do they remind me of the big picture?
Do they restore my faith in myself?
And for heaven’s sake, don’t wait to meet them in heaven! There are people in your life right now who are ready and eager to raise up the most heavenly version of you.
Just look. And ask.
