The World Really Needs You
Lisa Marie Platske • July 25, 2016
Pay attention to where you may be dimming your light. More than ever, the world needs YOU. You are being called to leadership. Be the change.
Last week I went to the gym at 5:30am like every morning and got on the treadmill.
The televisions all shouted messages of hate at me.
After 10 minutes, I began crying.
Yes, tears streaming down my face.
Between the bombings in Turkey where my dear friend and the copywriter for my business lives and the shootings in Baton Rouge, my eyes were tearing up and I couldn’t stop.
I felt like a crazy person but I had an incredible realization about my work in the world.
Before opening the doors to my business, I worked in Federal law enforcement for over 10 years.
Because I was stationed in the Newark/New York area with offices at the World Trade Center, I lived through 9/11.
My mentor was killed trying to save others and I sent my employees to the crash site for months to sift through the debris and look for body parts or identification – anything that would put the surviving family members at ease.
Yes, I remember that period of my life well and the choice between anger and forgiveness.
I didn’t leave law enforcement because I had to or even because at the time I wanted to.
I loved my ability to teach future leaders within the Department of Homeland Security.
The women and men in blue that I served with and got to teach were often unsung heroes who used their knowledge, skills, and abilities to protect U. S. borders.
I left my job teaching at the Leadership Development Center because I fell in love with Jim and our relationship was more important to me than a career.
When I turned in my resignation and closed the door on that chapter of my life, I could have spent the hours in my day volunteering and not gone back to work as my husband made it possible for me to choose to do whatever I wanted to do.
I chose to open Upside Thinking, Inc. 11 years ago to make a difference in the world by developing individuals who were called to be stand-out leaders.
And, the leaders I wanted to support were the kind of courageous leaders that were willing to step up, stand out, and be someone worth following.
My heart was heavy last week because I realize how much my work is needed right now.
On my journey, I have moved from delivering training seminars in small businesses and Fortune 500 companies to getting paid well to keynote at conferences and events. And, I launched Design Your Destiny Live™: Leadership Success Summit 9 years ago.
I also stepped into the leadership coaching arena 8 ½ years ago and currently hand-select 21 clients to work with each year.
As I partner with my clients who are working in the corporate arena and small business owners, I customize my coaching, training, and mentorship for where they are at this moment in their business and life.
This leadership journey enables my clients to design their destiny and position themselves so they create the influence, impact, and income they deserve.
So, why once again was I crying?
After all, there is always a lot of negativity going on in the world.
What was different about that morning?
I had been having conversations with God and feeling like I have a bigger mission and calling for my work in the world –– and God keeps tugging at my heart.
Be the change
Because I create leaders and integrate positioning work with my clients crafting their messages of how to be fully seen, heard, and rewarded without having to change who they are, I got that the world REALLY needs my people.
My clients are utterly brilliant. They have their own BIG mission and together we are charting a course to enable them to make a BIG difference in the world.
I also got that I need to speak my truth about what is going on in the world and why ‘The World Needs You and Your Brilliance’ – and speak it like I’ve never done so before.
Last week, I had 3 presentations and challenged attendees to step up and stand out – and be leaders worth following.
Like me, if you’re fully honest, you probably have pieces of who you are and what you do that are hiding –– intentionally or unintentionally.
You may be afraid of what putting all of who you are out there would look like.
You may be holding back on sharing your gifts fully afraid to be “too much”.
I get that being a leader isn’t for everyone. The world needs followers, too.
If you’re reading this, you are being called to leadership.
And, the world needs your uniqueness.
Whatever transformation you bring, the world needs your brilliance.
Your people are waiting.
Action Item:
The Upside Challenge of the week is to pay attention to where you may be dimming your light – intentionally or unintentionally. Then, choose one action you will take to give the world, your community, or your family more of who you are.
People follow the person first, then their great plan.
Be someone worth following.
The World Needs You and Your Brilliance.
By Lisa Marie Platske
•
April 6, 2026
Divine obedience. I can't say for most of my life I understood what it meant. To be in the listening to where God wants me to be requires choosing to have enough time and space to listen. Yet I've always been rewarded by doing things quickly. Time and space seemed unnecessary. Or they were needed for folks who didn't learn or pick something up as fast as I did. When I type that now, I almost cringe. "Be still—and know that I am God." It is in the stillness, the soft whisper, that I often get to meet God. And that was elusive for big chunks of time in my life. I'd be running from one event to the next ... running from one opportunity and experience, and often get there out of breath, only to head out again on what I told myself was the next adventure. Rarely did I ever stop and consider where God wanted to lead me. Rarely did my leadership include Him. Rarely did I end up someplace refreshed and renewed—and at peace. Looking back, I can see the patterns that ran my life, and how far away from divine obedience they were. Yet that's what free will is about. The ability to choose. With intention. When you listen to the world's ways, you'll always end up depleted because you're never doing enough. Divine obedience has you listen, and carve out a path of peace and ease. That doesn't mean everything will go your way. Far from it. It does mean that you get to walk every moment stress-free. Even when it looks like everything around you is crashing down. I've lived through fires, floods, and tornados ... and walked away unscathed. I'm not sure the odds of doing this are even possible, let alone probable. Yet here I am. In the midst of the storm, and there will always be a storm, your leadership will ensure you walk on water or drown. With divine obedience, the former is a guarantee. And I gotta tell you that writing all of this out feels scary. For decades, I've been celebrated for my left-brain business mind ... the part of me that doesn't let emotion or things like faith get in the way of building a business with a sound strategy, processes, and standard operating procedures. I can—and have—helped scale hundreds of businesses to reach the elusive 7-figure mark in business, and I still do that in my work today. Yet, today I don't do it without taking everything to prayer. You may have met me when that wasn't how I operated, and my current business model doesn't work for you. And I get that. I just can no longer pretend that I'm somebody that I'm not. I take a fierce stand for my clients and their success—and for me, that involves taking every problem and challenge they face to God first. Together, we create a solution that is designed for the betterment of mankind —and includes everyone in their life. Again, I don't love talking about this. And, it's my Truth. So, how often do you stop and listen to where God is trying to lead you? ACTION: The Upside Challenge for the week is to create space before you create movement. Choose one moment each day where you would normally push ahead. And instead of doing, stop. Sit in stillness for three minutes and invite God into the moment. Ask, “What is mine to do right now?” Wait. Take only the next faithful step you sense. This is divine obedience practiced daily. Calm leadership that walks on water.
By Lisa Marie Platske
•
March 30, 2026
I wonder how much time I've spent trying to figure out how I'm going to get something to work. I wonder how many hours I've tried to get something "right" or figure out how I'm going to do something. I wonder how many minutes I've belabored what it would take to get what I wanted—and how it was going to happen. And it's not just me. Everyone wants to know "the how" of something coming together. That's part of the danger of spending too much time in the thinking mind. It wants answers. Yet the mind-brain was designed to keep humans safe. That's why there is a fight-or-flight mechanism wired inside each one of us. Over time, man began relying on the thinking mind for more than God ever envisioned. When I have a pressing problem, I used to believe I could think my way out of it, seeking the "right" way forward. Now, I take it to prayer, trusting that there's probably something I can't see on my own that will lead to a solution with greater ease than I can see on my own. Doing the heavy lifting myself is something I was accustomed to doing. I can hustle and grind, and muscle and might my way through just about anything. When others would give up, I'd still be standing because of my inner resolve to win. Yet choosing to live and run my business this way led to greater struggles, heartache, and feeling overburdened than asking God to lead ever did. This doesn't mean I get to abdicate responsibility and just surrender to whatever comes my way. Walking with intention requires personal responsibility. The how isn't any of my business as long as I stay the course, listening to where God's leading me. And the same is true for you, too. Most problems require stillness, presence, and an invocation of the answer that you can't see on your own. ACTION: The Upside Challenge for the week is to choose one thing you have been carrying in your head. Before you do something with it, pause and invite God into the moment. Then set a 15-minute timer and take one clear, practical action that is already in front of you. Stay present with the work until the timer ends. When the time is up, stop and release the rest back to God. This is how trust becomes embodied leadership, one intentional step at a time.
By Lisa Marie Platske
•
March 23, 2026
In a world that is designed for you to have a plan and map out your every move, living moment-by-moment can be challenging. You will likely be met with judgment by the folks around you, feeling you move too slow or are a bit directionless. Yet the only way to experience peace is in this moment. It doesn't happen when you focus on your past. And it doesn't live in your future, either. Years ago, I had someone who was well-known in the world of transformational leadership reach out to me, asking if she could hire me. When I asked her what she wanted to work on, she shared that she wanted me to teach her how to be present. Huh? I didn't understand what she was asking or why it was an issue. And at the time, I couldn't figure out how to put together a package or offering on something that felt so natural to me. Over the years, I've discovered that presence is elusive for most folks. They don't understand its power or grasp how to attain it, and live in the here and now. Perhaps that's the reason Eckhart Tolle's book The Power of Now has sold millions of copies. When presence eludes you, you run back and forth chasing moments you once lived in the past—or spending time wishing for tomorrow to get here. The blessing of living in this moment means you get to see all of the gifts that are in your life right now. ~ The people you love ~ The places you enjoy ~ The experiences you cultivate When you run around comparing what was or what you think will be to this moment, you miss out on the gift of life that God has given you. And when you lead from this place, it's hard for others to want to follow you. Leadership requires a commitment to the here and now. And the best leaders are present to the wonder of life, living One Moment At A Time. ACTION: The Upside Challenge for the week is to practice leading from presence rather than a plan. When something interrupts your schedule or pulls you off your agenda, pause and stay in the moment instead of rushing ahead or reacting. Give your full attention to what is right in front of you and allow peace to guide your response. Trust that honoring the present moment is an act of faith, clarity, and leadership, and that what truly matters will unfold one moment at a time.
By Lisa Marie Platske
•
March 16, 2026
What would happen if your vision, your wildest desire, became fulfilled? Then what? What if you were as successful, as impactful as your soul is nudging you to be? What if? Most folks never give themselves permission to answer those questions. The idea that life follows a rote rhythm and then one day your time has come to cross the rainbow bridge sounds awful to me. Yet I've met far too many folks who live their life this way, expecting very little—and giving very little in return. Long ago, I noticed this conscious and unconscious sleepwalking where the hottest thing on the market was what would keep you comfortable and out of pain. That trend, while appealing, seeks to remove all suffering from the human experience. If you really want your vision to come to life, you're gonna experience some heartache. That's reality. Suffering stretches you to become better ... to defy the odds, pushing on your growth edges and inviting you to rise up. What if you never sold out on yourself again? What if you asked for the best seat in the house and were offered even better? I believe you can, you will—and you must. For without vision, people perish. I believe in you. Start asking for the best and keep asking until you get it. That's the Upside Way. ACTION: The Upside Challenge for the week is to set aside ten intentional minutes this week and ask yourself this question and write the answer without negotiating it down. What vision did I quietly place on the shelf because it asked more of me? Let it be bold. It may feel premature or it may feel like it asks you to be seen before you feel ready. Honor it anyway. Then take one visible step that tests the vision in the real world. Share the idea. Voice the invitation. Signal your willingness to lead. And remember, you are committing to obedience.
By Lisa Marie Platske
•
April 6, 2026
Divine obedience. I can't say for most of my life I understood what it meant. To be in the listening to where God wants me to be requires choosing to have enough time and space to listen. Yet I've always been rewarded by doing things quickly. Time and space seemed unnecessary. Or they were needed for folks who didn't learn or pick something up as fast as I did. When I type that now, I almost cringe. "Be still—and know that I am God." It is in the stillness, the soft whisper, that I often get to meet God. And that was elusive for big chunks of time in my life. I'd be running from one event to the next ... running from one opportunity and experience, and often get there out of breath, only to head out again on what I told myself was the next adventure. Rarely did I ever stop and consider where God wanted to lead me. Rarely did my leadership include Him. Rarely did I end up someplace refreshed and renewed—and at peace. Looking back, I can see the patterns that ran my life, and how far away from divine obedience they were. Yet that's what free will is about. The ability to choose. With intention. When you listen to the world's ways, you'll always end up depleted because you're never doing enough. Divine obedience has you listen, and carve out a path of peace and ease. That doesn't mean everything will go your way. Far from it. It does mean that you get to walk every moment stress-free. Even when it looks like everything around you is crashing down. I've lived through fires, floods, and tornados ... and walked away unscathed. I'm not sure the odds of doing this are even possible, let alone probable. Yet here I am. In the midst of the storm, and there will always be a storm, your leadership will ensure you walk on water or drown. With divine obedience, the former is a guarantee. And I gotta tell you that writing all of this out feels scary. For decades, I've been celebrated for my left-brain business mind ... the part of me that doesn't let emotion or things like faith get in the way of building a business with a sound strategy, processes, and standard operating procedures. I can—and have—helped scale hundreds of businesses to reach the elusive 7-figure mark in business, and I still do that in my work today. Yet, today I don't do it without taking everything to prayer. You may have met me when that wasn't how I operated, and my current business model doesn't work for you. And I get that. I just can no longer pretend that I'm somebody that I'm not. I take a fierce stand for my clients and their success—and for me, that involves taking every problem and challenge they face to God first. Together, we create a solution that is designed for the betterment of mankind —and includes everyone in their life. Again, I don't love talking about this. And, it's my Truth. So, how often do you stop and listen to where God is trying to lead you? ACTION: The Upside Challenge for the week is to create space before you create movement. Choose one moment each day where you would normally push ahead. And instead of doing, stop. Sit in stillness for three minutes and invite God into the moment. Ask, “What is mine to do right now?” Wait. Take only the next faithful step you sense. This is divine obedience practiced daily. Calm leadership that walks on water.
By Lisa Marie Platske
•
March 30, 2026
I wonder how much time I've spent trying to figure out how I'm going to get something to work. I wonder how many hours I've tried to get something "right" or figure out how I'm going to do something. I wonder how many minutes I've belabored what it would take to get what I wanted—and how it was going to happen. And it's not just me. Everyone wants to know "the how" of something coming together. That's part of the danger of spending too much time in the thinking mind. It wants answers. Yet the mind-brain was designed to keep humans safe. That's why there is a fight-or-flight mechanism wired inside each one of us. Over time, man began relying on the thinking mind for more than God ever envisioned. When I have a pressing problem, I used to believe I could think my way out of it, seeking the "right" way forward. Now, I take it to prayer, trusting that there's probably something I can't see on my own that will lead to a solution with greater ease than I can see on my own. Doing the heavy lifting myself is something I was accustomed to doing. I can hustle and grind, and muscle and might my way through just about anything. When others would give up, I'd still be standing because of my inner resolve to win. Yet choosing to live and run my business this way led to greater struggles, heartache, and feeling overburdened than asking God to lead ever did. This doesn't mean I get to abdicate responsibility and just surrender to whatever comes my way. Walking with intention requires personal responsibility. The how isn't any of my business as long as I stay the course, listening to where God's leading me. And the same is true for you, too. Most problems require stillness, presence, and an invocation of the answer that you can't see on your own. ACTION: The Upside Challenge for the week is to choose one thing you have been carrying in your head. Before you do something with it, pause and invite God into the moment. Then set a 15-minute timer and take one clear, practical action that is already in front of you. Stay present with the work until the timer ends. When the time is up, stop and release the rest back to God. This is how trust becomes embodied leadership, one intentional step at a time.
By Lisa Marie Platske
•
March 23, 2026
In a world that is designed for you to have a plan and map out your every move, living moment-by-moment can be challenging. You will likely be met with judgment by the folks around you, feeling you move too slow or are a bit directionless. Yet the only way to experience peace is in this moment. It doesn't happen when you focus on your past. And it doesn't live in your future, either. Years ago, I had someone who was well-known in the world of transformational leadership reach out to me, asking if she could hire me. When I asked her what she wanted to work on, she shared that she wanted me to teach her how to be present. Huh? I didn't understand what she was asking or why it was an issue. And at the time, I couldn't figure out how to put together a package or offering on something that felt so natural to me. Over the years, I've discovered that presence is elusive for most folks. They don't understand its power or grasp how to attain it, and live in the here and now. Perhaps that's the reason Eckhart Tolle's book The Power of Now has sold millions of copies. When presence eludes you, you run back and forth chasing moments you once lived in the past—or spending time wishing for tomorrow to get here. The blessing of living in this moment means you get to see all of the gifts that are in your life right now. ~ The people you love ~ The places you enjoy ~ The experiences you cultivate When you run around comparing what was or what you think will be to this moment, you miss out on the gift of life that God has given you. And when you lead from this place, it's hard for others to want to follow you. Leadership requires a commitment to the here and now. And the best leaders are present to the wonder of life, living One Moment At A Time. ACTION: The Upside Challenge for the week is to practice leading from presence rather than a plan. When something interrupts your schedule or pulls you off your agenda, pause and stay in the moment instead of rushing ahead or reacting. Give your full attention to what is right in front of you and allow peace to guide your response. Trust that honoring the present moment is an act of faith, clarity, and leadership, and that what truly matters will unfold one moment at a time.
By Lisa Marie Platske
•
March 16, 2026
What would happen if your vision, your wildest desire, became fulfilled? Then what? What if you were as successful, as impactful as your soul is nudging you to be? What if? Most folks never give themselves permission to answer those questions. The idea that life follows a rote rhythm and then one day your time has come to cross the rainbow bridge sounds awful to me. Yet I've met far too many folks who live their life this way, expecting very little—and giving very little in return. Long ago, I noticed this conscious and unconscious sleepwalking where the hottest thing on the market was what would keep you comfortable and out of pain. That trend, while appealing, seeks to remove all suffering from the human experience. If you really want your vision to come to life, you're gonna experience some heartache. That's reality. Suffering stretches you to become better ... to defy the odds, pushing on your growth edges and inviting you to rise up. What if you never sold out on yourself again? What if you asked for the best seat in the house and were offered even better? I believe you can, you will—and you must. For without vision, people perish. I believe in you. Start asking for the best and keep asking until you get it. That's the Upside Way. ACTION: The Upside Challenge for the week is to set aside ten intentional minutes this week and ask yourself this question and write the answer without negotiating it down. What vision did I quietly place on the shelf because it asked more of me? Let it be bold. It may feel premature or it may feel like it asks you to be seen before you feel ready. Honor it anyway. Then take one visible step that tests the vision in the real world. Share the idea. Voice the invitation. Signal your willingness to lead. And remember, you are committing to obedience.
