Just. Show. Up.
It is a term I heard during an online session with the amazing Maiko Saiko. She talked about the power of showing up: if you do that, you are already making progress.
When we show up, sometimes we can meet and connect to amazing people. We can learn new things. We can build a network.
It also takes an open mindset and the willingness to ask what we think are “dumb” questions and frankly, to appear vulnerable.
To me, “Just Show Up” – like the Nike catchphrase “Just Do It” – holds great power.
There is an oft-quoted phrase that says 80% of success in life is just showing up…that it can lead to success and become a powerful habit.
Many articles have been written on this topic, but here is how “showing up” has made a difference to me:
- Met incredibly interesting people
- Learned something new
- Rewarded by helping others when I’ve least expected it
- Improved my physical and mental health
Curiosity has been a tool that I use as a catalyst to show up!
I love to meet new people and learn new things, so curiosity helps push me into… showing up.
Asking questions and being willing to admit that you don’t have the answers is so powerful, especially since it reveals a willingness and an openness to learn.
I have been a journalist, a Bed and Breakfast owner, a fundraiser and a marketing manager in the insurance and tech spaces. Today, I’m Chief Curiosity Officer at GailNow – with a focus in manufacturing and marketing and an additional niche in moldmaking and cutting tools.
Talk about a learning curve! I had no idea what a moldmaker did. I was also totally confused for about a year about the difference between a moldmaker and a molder.
So, I asked a lot of questions…read industry magazines… watched YouTube videos… spent time on shop floors and…I did that by showing up.
I have a long list of examples of showing up, from covering Jr. B Hockey in high school when I knew nothing about hockey; to meeting author Bryce Courtenay in Australia by cold-calling his office to get a book signed; to landing jobs and clients without going the typical routes of applying for a position or advertising.
The lesson: when we show up, we’ve already conquered half the battle.
Showing up does not mean “pitch slapping” – where you send a connection to someone on LinkedIn and then pitch them without ever bothering to first build a relationship. It also doesn’t mean creating a social media profile and having a one-way conversation. Yes, you need to post – but you also need to engage, connect, be an active listener and participate.
As a beta tester in TwitterSpaces, I first arrived on the platform as a listener. Then, once I surveyed the lay of the land, I started speaking. By showing up and observing, soon I was meeting people, connecting with them and best of all, learning.
Twitter is my main platform because I have found that it is the perfect place for me – for my business and for my personality.
When I showed up, the magic happened.
And the magic is your reward when you Just Show Up.