Empowering Bytes: Proximity Without Purpose
The concept of "Proximity Without Purpose" serves as the focal point of this episode. We explore the nuanced distinction between mere physical closeness and the profound connections that foster genuine impact.
It is imperative to recognize that proximity, in and of itself, does not engender meaning or value if it is devoid of intentionality. Through thoughtful exploration, Nkechi and Gaby unpack the implications of this concept across various dimensions of life, including personal relationships, corporate environments, and self-reflection.
Their dialogue accentuates the necessity of aligning one's presence with a defined purpose, urging listeners to assess the dynamics of their interactions and engagements. Ultimately, this episode endeavors to inspire a shift from passive existence to purposeful living, emphasizing the transformative power of intention in all facets of human connection.
Takeaways:
- The concept of 'Proximity Without Purpose' highlights the importance of intentionality in relationships and interactions.
- Merely being present in a situation does not guarantee meaningful engagement or impact; purpose is essential.
- In both corporate settings and personal relationships, the presence of individuals does not equate to effective collaboration or support.
- We must actively evaluate our interactions to discern whether they genuinely contribute to our growth and fulfillment in life.
- The podcast encourages listeners to assess their proximity to individuals and situations, questioning if it serves a greater purpose.
- Engagement and meaningful purpose are critical to transforming mere proximity into impactful relationships and experiences.
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Find us online: https://linktr.ee/nkechinwaforrobinson
Transcript
Great day, amazing human.
Speaker A:Yes.
Speaker A:Welcome to Empowered at My Skin podcast where our mission is to help 1 billion people in this world think in more empowering ways.
Speaker A:Empowered humans.
Speaker A:Empower humans.
Speaker A:So you are in the right place to become a lead domino for Empowerment today.
Speaker A:My name is Nkechi Mwaho Robinson.
Speaker A:I'm not only your host, but I am a vibrant optimist obsessed to bring you empowering content with every single episode.
Speaker A:We will bring you weekly content, alternating between longer episodes with featured guests and a shorter episode called Empowering Bites, where I will be joined by my co host, Gabby Memone.
Speaker A:So if you're ready, let the show begin.
Speaker A:Great day, amazing human.
Speaker A:Yes.
Speaker A:Welcome to the next episode of Empowering Bites, where I am joined by my feet.
Speaker A:Fantabulous.
Speaker A:Fantabulous.
Speaker A:Amazing co host, Gabby.
Speaker A:I thought I'd drag it out today.
Speaker A:Thought I drag it.
Speaker B:Thank you very much for the extension of my name.
Speaker B:I love it.
Speaker B:I'm excited.
Speaker A:I'm excited, I'm excited, I'm excited.
Speaker A:So we, we have an episode.
Speaker A:We have.
Speaker A:So it's so funny because I, I've been using this concept.
Speaker A:Thank you, Chat gbt.
Speaker A:You know, I got this from Chat gbt and, and I shared it at work this week and I.
Speaker A:Oh, sorry.
Speaker A:And I remember my boss, my boss first said, oh, my God, I'm writing that down.
Speaker A:And then I shared it in more of a work context and, and then I could see my peers writing it down.
Speaker A:So it's actually pretty good.
Speaker A:I.
Speaker A:So we want to talk about proximity.
Speaker A:Proximity without purpose.
Speaker A:And then as we start to think about how to grow this into a podcast, I think the subtitle then is when it's really indicative that then presence is not just enough.
Speaker A:Right.
Speaker A:Just being near to something doesn't imply that there's value that's being generated, that there's, that there's purpose that's being unlocked.
Speaker A:Right?
Speaker A:And so today we're going to really unpack this really powerful and timely and timely concept because I think, I think with the way the world is on today, like, you know, there's nothing, there's nothing that doesn't constantly remind us that life is short.
Speaker A:And you gotta just like take every single opportunity that you have to drive more meaningful purpose and positioning in life.
Speaker A:And so, so think about it.
Speaker A:Have you ever been around someone and yet, like, kind of felt completely unseen or unheard or unsupported, supported?
Speaker A:And, you know, that could either happen in a boardroom, it can happen with friendships, it can happen in a relationship.
Speaker A:It could, you know, but, but recognizing that being just because you're, you have proximity to something or someone doesn't really mean that is, is actually the same of being connected to it or, or driving impact from it.
Speaker B:Yeah, I agree.
Speaker B:Like there's even big speakers, let's say Tony Robbins.
Speaker B:I'm not sure if you're aware, but he has a crew.
Speaker B:There's an opportunity for someone to volunteer at his events.
Speaker B:And that's why people would do it because they want to be in close proximity that purpose.
Speaker B:Because they want to learn from him.
Speaker B:They want to be in that energy, they want to absorb his tips.
Speaker B:That's proximity with purpose.
Speaker B:So when we drill down a little bit more, do we exercise that?
Speaker B:You know, when we're in proximity to people, does it have purpose or does it not have purpose?
Speaker B:So let's explore.
Speaker A:And I think, and it's interesting because if I, if I think about it from a corporate setting.
Speaker A:Right.
Speaker A:How many times do we actually spend in meetings where I'm going to say something too, because it's funny.
Speaker A:Shameless plug.
Speaker A:I'm thinking about the event that empowered my skin.
Speaker A:Event lead that's coming up.
Speaker A:And I know that as I start to think about like why that event and what I hope that people leave from that event.
Speaker A:It's really like, because I spend a good portion of my life in corporate.
Speaker A:But it's really, it's about helping those that are in attendance when they walk away.
Speaker A:Like, you actually need to be so convicted about the problem that you have been like your human has been assigned in this world to solve.
Speaker A:I truly do believe everyone because of their talents, gifts and abilities that are uniquely theirs and then how they navigate this journey of life and they pick up their experiences as they go along.
Speaker A:There's a toolkit that you have, like, there's only something like that combination of, of all of those things are uniquely yours.
Speaker A:And so when you sit at the table, like you are sitting at the table and there's something about who you are at the table that, that only you can solve for.
Speaker A:And so when you start to think about all these meetings, the main fact that on average people are not kind of doing that work to figure that out.
Speaker A:Right.
Speaker A:So.
Speaker B:Right.
Speaker A:So think about it.
Speaker A:You have all these meetings with all these incredible, amazing humans that have like a plethora of like talent and skill and untapped, like just experience that, you know, we haven't necessarily tapped into for to drive creativity and innovation and all this and the other.
Speaker A:So multiply that by X amount of People in the room.
Speaker A:So let's just give the number 10.
Speaker A:Okay.
Speaker A:And because we don't actually have those discussions, like, this is, in my opinion, so applicable.
Speaker A:Like, I.
Speaker A:Maybe I'm trying to throw my mind at this, really, in this moment, but it's like, yes, all of that town's at that table, yet they haven't been given purpose.
Speaker A:And so that's why a lot of times we leave these meetings and you're either exhausted, you know, another meeting has to be had.
Speaker A:Like, no decision was made.
Speaker A:Like, yeah, nothing moved forward, really.
Speaker A:Right.
Speaker B:Yeah.
Speaker A:And I'm just like, what would happen if.
Speaker A:If we actually started to look at the encounters that we have?
Speaker A:Like, when you sit down beside somebody and you're like, I'm not just close to you.
Speaker A:By happenstance, there is a reason why you and I.
Speaker A:Like you and I.
Speaker A:Right.
Speaker A:We had proximity to each other, and one day we decided that we were going to take our giftings and collaborate and what, seven seasons later.
Speaker B:Yes.
Speaker A:Yes.
Speaker A:100.
Speaker A:What is that?
Speaker A:186 episodes that we've done together, if not pushing out empowering content to help and inspire.
Speaker A:Empower.
Speaker A:And, you know, so this is proximity with purpose.
Speaker A:Yeah.
Speaker B:Yes.
Speaker B:I love it.
Speaker B:And it's because we engage.
Speaker B:Right.
Speaker B:I mean, have people been in those wardrobes where co workers are there, they're sharing ideas.
Speaker B:Some of them are sharing, some of them are.
Speaker B:But you're feeling drained, you're not energized.
Speaker B:People aren't engaging.
Speaker B:What's the purpose?
Speaker B:Right.
Speaker B:You have the proximity, but what's the purpose?
Speaker B:And so, you know, let's look, let's dive deeper.
Speaker B:When we take a look at our lives, our relationships, our workplace, how do we have purpose?
Speaker B:So let's.
Speaker B:Let's unpack that.
Speaker B:Let's talk about visibility.
Speaker A:Oh, my gosh.
Speaker A:Well, I think that just because you're at a table, and I'm trying to remember the quote, it says a seated table means nothing if your voice isn't fed.
Speaker A:Right.
Speaker A:So just having.
Speaker A:Yeah, just having a seat at the table doesn't imply that you are support.
Speaker A:That you are there on purpose.
Speaker A:Right?
Speaker A:Yeah.
Speaker A:And so the table's proximity.
Speaker A:Right.
Speaker A:Like, I.
Speaker A:I think I.
Speaker A:I'm really, really loving this concept now because I think it could be like, it doesn't have to be just to people.
Speaker A:It could be to situations, it could be to environments.
Speaker A:Like, I think even this, this, this, like where we are now, like, like this, the.
Speaker A:The dynamics of the world today.
Speaker B:Yes.
Speaker A:There's proximity that we have to it.
Speaker B:Yep.
Speaker A:The Question is, are we unlocking the, the, the, the, you know, sort of, the, the avenues of purpose to help, you know, make things better or to, you know, to, to, you know, sort of voice like, you know, voice your opinion.
Speaker A:Like, that's not a really well thought out thought right there.
Speaker A:But, but you know what I mean, like, are you.
Speaker A:I think it could be proximity to situations, to, you know, to circumstances, to, you know, so.
Speaker A:Yes.
Speaker A:How are you then using your voice?
Speaker A:You know?
Speaker B:Right.
Speaker B:And how are you engaging others to use their voice?
Speaker A:That's right.
Speaker B:Because we have all been at those boardroom tables or those meetings where some people are a little more outspoken than the others.
Speaker B:The ones that maybe aren't as outspoken are very valuable and they have something to say.
Speaker B:But maybe they are neurodivergent or maybe they are shy or maybe there's different reasons.
Speaker B:And so if you're a leader, you know, it's important that we pull from that because that's the, it's like so and so.
Speaker B:What are your thoughts?
Speaker B:What do you have to say?
Speaker B:Engagement.
Speaker A:Right, right.
Speaker B:It's no different.
Speaker B:You and I have been panel hosts.
Speaker A:Right.
Speaker B:As a panel host, if you have three people on your panel and two are doing all the talking, the panel host needs to involve the third.
Speaker A:That's right.
Speaker A:That's right.
Speaker B:That's proximity with purpose.
Speaker B:Otherwise you sit on the panel and say nothing.
Speaker A:Otherwise it's diversity.
Speaker A:Well, what is it?
Speaker A:If it's a diversity without inclusion or representation, without activation.
Speaker B:Yes, exactly.
Speaker B:So I love this topic.
Speaker B:Thank you for recommending it.
Speaker B:I absolutely love it.
Speaker A:And I think I, and I think every, like.
Speaker A:Well, I think in relationships too.
Speaker A:Right.
Speaker A:Like, I, I think that's the hard one.
Speaker A:Like if I, if I, you know, bully.
Speaker A:Talk about marriages for a minute.
Speaker A:You know, you have to, you have a husband and wife or whatever, partners, and, and, and yeah, they constantly, like, there's so much, there's so much proximity that they have.
Speaker B:Yeah.
Speaker A:And, and then, you know, what happens to those relationships when there isn't any purpose?
Speaker A:And one can argue.
Speaker A:One can.
Speaker A:I can, I could, I could hazard an opinion that, that if you were to look at those relationships that aren't working really well, that's exactly what's happening, is there's proximity, but there isn't a, like a unified purpose that those two feel that they're, that, you know, that they're working towards.
Speaker A:Right.
Speaker A:Like, yeah.
Speaker A:So I think it could be any relationship.
Speaker A:And, and it's interesting because in our B roll, you talked about letting go of relationships Remember you're saying, oh, my God.
Speaker A:And we were saying that we.
Speaker A:I'm pretty sure we've done an episode on that.
Speaker A:Well, one would say the same.
Speaker A:Right?
Speaker A:Like, if you are.
Speaker A:You have all these relationships, and especially the ones that are most proximity to you, you know, take a look.
Speaker A:Take a look at what purpose they have.
Speaker B:Yeah, do.
Speaker B:Yeah, exactly.
Speaker B:Like, is there growth?
Speaker B:Do you feel peace?
Speaker B:Do you feel love?
Speaker B:Do you feel like this is someone that you want in your circle going forward?
Speaker B:Yeah, yeah, exactly.
Speaker B:And if the answer is no, or you're feeling pressure or it feels heavy, then we have to look at that.
Speaker B:You know, we get to choose.
Speaker B:We get to choose.
Speaker A:So if we were to, like, sort of continue on this conversation and we talk about, like, well, we covered.
Speaker A:So we covered corporate.
Speaker A:We've covered, like, family, relationships and self.
Speaker A:Well, maybe not maybe self.
Speaker A:Right?
Speaker A:Like, how could.
Speaker A:How could we.
Speaker A:How can you apply that concept to self?
Speaker A:What do you think?
Speaker B:Yeah, I guess that's.
Speaker B:That's it is take.
Speaker B:Do an inventory.
Speaker B:Take a look within.
Speaker B:Look within yourself and see is what I'm doing leading me closer to my goal, leading me closer to my purpose.
Speaker B:And if the answer is no, we have to question the amount of time that we're investing in there, and if that should be shifted towards something else.
Speaker A:Yeah, I was like.
Speaker A:As you were saying that, one thing that came to me, and I don't know, I'm gonna just throw this.
Speaker A:Like I said, we people, humans listening to this.
Speaker A:We are literally, like, unpacking this on the spot, which is.
Speaker B:Yeah.
Speaker B:Organic.
Speaker A:What if it's something like we have proximity to the thoughts we have.
Speaker A:So.
Speaker A:About our dreams.
Speaker A:Yeah, right.
Speaker A:Yeah, we have, but we have not done anything to activate the activation is.
Speaker A:Could the activation be the piece that's giving it purpose?
Speaker B:Yeah.
Speaker A:Right.
Speaker A:Because you have these dreams, right.
Speaker A:And they come from you.
Speaker A:So you have proximity to them.
Speaker A:You're thinking about them.
Speaker A:They're there within you.
Speaker A:Um, but if you're not acting on the things that need to be done to maybe perhaps have them unlocked in the real.
Speaker A:Yeah, that could be.
Speaker A:That.
Speaker A:Could.
Speaker A:That.
Speaker A:You can.
Speaker A:Maybe you can apply that there.
Speaker A:Maybe this.
Speaker B:Absolutely.
Speaker B:Yes, of course.
Speaker B:You know, and it's no different for authors.
Speaker B:Why do they write a book?
Speaker B:Podcast hosts like yourself, you want to impact a billion people worldwide.
Speaker B:Okay.
Speaker B:This is how you do it, through your voice, teaching others, being on stages.
Speaker B:And so there's purpose there.
Speaker B:You're investing time.
Speaker B:It takes a lot of time to be an author and write that book.
Speaker B:It takes a Lot of time to record these podcasts and source and edit and post and share.
Speaker B:There's a lot of time, but there's purpose.
Speaker A:Yeah, there's purpose as to why we do it.
Speaker A:And I think as we start to wrap up and close up, I definitely have to end with call to action.
Speaker A:So let's think about that one.
Speaker A:But I'm also gonna say, like, one thing I, I, one thing I, and, and, and we could actually, this could be its own podcast.
Speaker A:But I think another thing too is if you are ever feeling complacent about anything in life, right?
Speaker A:Like, I think that that's what you can, that's probably something that you can actually start to think about.
Speaker A:Like, I'm, I'm, I'm.
Speaker A:Maybe I'm close to things that are, that are close.
Speaker A:Like, I'm going to party.
Speaker A:So the proximity, is that the party?
Speaker A:But you just have to start asking yourself, did this give me life or did it just suck energy out of me?
Speaker A:You know, And I went.
Speaker A:Because I'm familiar with the people.
Speaker B:Yeah.
Speaker A:So is it life giving or is it familiar?
Speaker A:I think that that's where you can, we can really settle into that because, because you, there was proximity to something.
Speaker A:And I think it's about feeling, it's about then asking.
Speaker A:You're doing that, that, that, that mental work, right?
Speaker A:To say like that, that inventory list saying, you know, did, did this edify me?
Speaker A:Did it grow me?
Speaker A:Did it bring me peace?
Speaker A:Did it, did I add, like, did it pull out value for me?
Speaker A:Like, you know what I mean?
Speaker A:Or did it just feel familiar and did I just do it because maybe I was afraid of missing out on something or I was like, huh.
Speaker A:I didn't want anyone to like, wonder why I wasn't there.
Speaker A:You know what I mean?
Speaker A:But anything that, that's contrary to that, you know, might be, that might be a good way to apply that concept as well.
Speaker B:Yeah, I would agree.
Speaker B:So, you know, for those that are watching or listening, take a look at your life.
Speaker B:Take a look at your workplace, your relationships, how you spend your time.
Speaker B:How do you show up for yourself and others and then ask yourself, is this proximity serving my purpose?
Speaker A:I love it.
Speaker A:And then, and then you make a shift from just being present to being intentional.
Speaker A:Yeah.
Speaker B:Love it.
Speaker A:You know, one, one person that does that so well is Oprah.
Speaker A:Right?
Speaker A:Like, I, I remember when she talked about the intention of her shows and stuff like that.
Speaker A:It, it made me even show up differently to, to how I showed up to her shows knowing that there was there was something that I should be getting from there.
Speaker A:Right?
Speaker A:And so we weren't.
Speaker A:We weren't just created to just float around in life, right.
Speaker A:Or float around the room, right.
Speaker A:The float around the purpose of our lives.
Speaker A:And we were actually really born to to be truly empowered in it and to walk boldly with confidence and be convicted by the presence that we have on this earth and know that everything that we do and.
Speaker A:And the proximity of others to us drives me full purpose in this world.
Speaker B:Love, Love.
Speaker B:One of the things I love about this podcast is that we keep it short and sweet.
Speaker A:That's right.
Speaker A:And this is where I say I'm.
Speaker B:Ink and I'm Gabby with one B.
Speaker A:And we're out.
Speaker A:Bye.
Speaker A:Bye.
Speaker A:There you have it.
Speaker A:I trust that you are feeling more empowered in your skin.
Speaker A:As the late Dr.
Speaker A:Maya Angelou said, when you get, you give.
Speaker A:When you learn, you teach.
Speaker A:So it would mean so much for us at Empower to My Skin, Inc.
Speaker A:If you share this episode and tag us or teach an insight that you took from from today's episode on your social and tag us.
Speaker A:Feel free to leave us a review over at itunes and follow us on social media at Empowered in My Skin.
Speaker A:Finally, remember to subscribe so you never miss an episode.
