“What do you want to say?”
That's what Kanye West said to Nicki Minaj in the studio when they were working on Monster, where her verse catapulted her career to the next level.
Your Voice is distinctly your own.
You may not consider yourself “creative” but that does not mean you don't have a Voice. The question is whether you have recognized it and have made the decision to craft it further.
I decided to write this Power Acronym to further explore what Voice means to me and encourage and empower you to continue to hone your own.
Power Acronym 105: V.O.I.C.E.
Veritas
Veritas is the name given to the Roman virtue of truthfulness, which was considered one of the main virtues any good Roman should possess.
Truth is a deep cavern to explore, but I felt the word served as a strong start for chipping away what doesn't represent your own sense of speaking and being to the world.
Ownership
It's one thing to start strong, it's another to stay strong.
There's a Sanskrit word that speaks to this:
Arambhashura - Bold only at the outset.
Nicki Minaj could have faded into irrelevance after her Monster verse, but has maintained her status a top artist 14 years later.
I'm not necessarily a Nicki fan, but she knows and owns her lane and has a legion of committed fans.
Use your voice.
Own what you say and what you don't.
Impetus
Impetus is the force that makes something happen or happen more quickly.
It is often used interchangeably with reason, but the nuanced difference lies in that reason speaks more to the underlying rationale for an action.
A world event, deadline, or experience may accelerate the actions you take to achieve your ultimate goal.
Cultivating voice is offense.
Speak and discover the power you have!
Consistency
And keep speaking, expressing yourself, and using your will power.
Your enduring commitment will compound into more results to learn and grow from.
As you chain together wins, your thinking will become clearer and you will gain greater levels of mastery, unlocking new opportunities.
Elevation
What do you know a lot about?
It could be business, a hobby, or source of entertainment.
Pick anything.
What are you most experienced with?
What have you or could you spend 10,000 hours doing in a pursuit toward mastery?
Influential people are influential primarily because of their decades of experience and intense focus on one thing or particular set of things.
At many points along your career journey you will elevate. The question is how many, how often, and how much?
Elevating your voice in the mind of the listener must be grounded in the truth and reinforced through a demonstration of it.
Words only go so far.
Actions speak the language your voice can only hope to symbolize.
Elevate your game.
Cultivate your voice by becoming the living definition of it.
What will you say?
Power Acronym Daily
Daily acronyms to encourage, enrich, and empower.