I recently had a conversation with Marianne Else on Facebook about what men birth. She pointed out that, “the incubation period [for men] sometimes is measured in years and years…. the man is more future-oriented.” [note: I believe women also birth ideas.]
This ability to birth is particularly seen with entrepreneurs—men and women—where the fertilization of an idea can come from some obscure place… and can lead to a new industry. To gestate an idea, and manifest into reality, takes a power. Marianne uses the term etheric force, the same term an old teacher and friend of mine, Nelita Anderson, a Hawaiian Medical Kahuna, used to describe our life force. Both these women were trained in Anthroposophy.
You could say it is will that allows a man to make things happen. I have seen it done that way, but there is a price paid when done solely from a place of will. First the man gets tense and stubborn, then old before his time, and often lonely from alienating others. A man who is able to not only tap his life force but find a way to renew it through his quest of manifestation has found his fountain of youth.
Men who are impassioned by their cause naturally enroll others to continue on. Our greatest leaders are these men: Martin Luther King, Jr.; Gandhi; Churchill. In spite the stress they were under, they continued to stand up and lead others. They won through enrolling others with their passion and vision. It wasn’t their will that changed the world.
How to birth big
Short course: Discover your passion. Allow your vision of how that passion needs to manifest to guide you. Start.
Here are some secrets to birthing big.
- Your vision needs a “womb.” It needs a protected place to first grow. Announcing it to the world too prematurely can cause its death. Even though you are excited, which is great, allow yourself time to be with it. Nurture it with experiences that nurture you. In other words, allow for alone time to dream with it. Then go out exploring other knowledge and experiences that could feed your vision.
- Find a midwife, or two, to help you birth it. Create a small circle of friends or associates who can support you to bringing your baby into the world. I’m not talking final product, I’m talking the alpha version. It’s something that is real, but may not be functional. At this stage it is about growing and refining not producing.
- When you do release it to the public, breathe. Know that there will be mistakes – don’t take them personally. Let go, let go of your will. See that at this stage the community is raising your child. You are no longer the sole parent. You roll is now the role of visionary champion, less directing the steps of your child and more leading the direction of the movement.
- Enroll others. Allow your love for what you are doing to bring in the right people to help. Keep putting it out there, knowing you will turn off some. The right people will be attracted to your baby and its purpose.
- Have fun. The more fun you have, the more others will want to join you and the more renewed you will be.
Take a lesson from mothers: keep letting go of your creation. Realize at some point it will no longer be just yours. You want that if you want success.
As a man, how are you birthing? If you are a woman, what tips can you give us to birth our ideas?
