Now, don’t get me wrong. These amazing, tireless, passionate nonprofit leaders were not born small thinkers. Rather, over time they have been beaten down by the headwinds of meddlesome board members, clueless funders, tiresome government restrictions, and crippling norms like the overhead myth and the charity mindset. Small thinking has wormed its way into many nonprofit leader’s consciousness. They have exchanged their desire to do bold things for what they have come to believe is all that’s available to them and their once lofty goals.

What a terrible shame. How many amazing visions for a more inclusive, equitable, healthy, and happy society have shrunk into the background? And how much better would we be as a society if they hadn’t?

So, as a nonprofit leader, whenever you find yourself shrinking from your original vision, use these methods to move back into your original belief that the change you seek is truly possible:

  • Reconnect with the Magic of Your Work If you don’t already do this, start connecting on a very regular basis with those your nonprofit seeks to benefit or influence. They are the direct connection to the tremendous need for your work and the change you are already creating.
  • Get Quiet I can’t say it enough, but your true power as a leader comes from within. So make sure that you are taking some time each day to get quiet and reconnect with your center.
  • Call Out the Naysayers Once you reconnect with yourself and the magic of your work you are in a much better position to take on those people and things that are keeping you from your big vision.

 Read the full article about nonprofit leaders by Nell Edgington at Social Velocity.