Trust the Process

Published by Matt Church – Founder on 5 August 2021

We have a saying within our Business School that you need to trust the process. This is not unique to us as many developmental programs suggest that allowing a process to do its work is key to a student’s success. It’s true when what you have always done is not getting you what you want, you need to try something different. Trust the process is not a complete prescription – at best it’s 25% complete.

When you hear the phrase or you challenge yourself to “trust the process,” you also need to “trust yourself”. Giving up your power in relationship to a system, dogma, or way of thinking leads to all kinds of messed up possibilities. We have an anti-cult culture here at Thought Leaders and often say, “Don’t drink the Kool-Aid but do bring a plate.” We suggest that members contribute to the culture but don’t be absorbed by it. We go one step further to say that if we are a Tribe (questions of toxic tribing arise), then we are a Tribe of Chiefs, bound together by the unity in difference. Do not give up your power in relationship to the curriculum, a belief, or anyone of us, me included. So yeah “trust the process” and “trust yourself.” As powerful as this distinction is, it is still only 50% of the conversation.

Some people use “trust the process” as a way of avoiding doing the work the process requires. Joining a gym is not the same thing as turning up and working out. So yeah “trust the process” but “do the work” required by the process. You can’t simply know a process like the Thought Leaders curriculum. You need to also apply it. We are now 75% of the way there.

Some people use “trust yourself” as a way of establishing a status quo of comfort. Employ a growth mindset and continue to “do the work” of increasing your awareness of things in you and around you. Don’t let all you know be all you know. Stretch the edges of your comfort zone and expand your sense of possibility. So “trust yourself” and “do the work” on being more aware.

So “trust the process” is true and it’s incomplete.

Trust the process (25%) and do the work (25%) + Trust yourself (25%) and do the work (25%) is a well-rounded heuristic.

Here are five questions to ponder:

1. Do you know the process (in our case the Thought Leaders Practice Model) and what it is?
2. Are you trusting the process?
3. Are you doing the work the process requires?
4. Are you trusting your own knowing?
5. Are you doing the work to expand your view of what’s possible?