At BAM, we talk a lot about choosing your response. You know that moment when you’re in the throes of a very real and human reaction to something—or someone—difficult? We ask our people to pause, reflect, and choose an emotionally intelligent response over an impulsive emotional reaction.
It’s simple. But not easy.
This year, we’re also choosing to understand what it means to live a life of Freedom To. Not freedom from. Freedom to. Again, not easy.
As an executive team, we read 10X Is Easier Than 2X. Through that lens, we committed to making Freedom To BAM’s guiding theme for 2025—both collectively and individually. It’s even reflected in our updated core values:
Freedom to Thrive: We operate and excel on our own terms in our own ways, collectively and as individuals.
So What Does Freedom To Really Mean?
It’s the freedom to be radically honest with ourselves.
To want what we want.
To stop living by default.
To stop waiting for permission.
To live, work, and create from a place of truth.
Freedom To means choosing what you most want—and owning it.
Not what you think you want.
Not what you “should” want.
What you actually want.
Start with Radical Honesty
To begin living a life of Freedom To, you have to get honest. Really honest. A few prompts we’ve been using internally:
- If no one would judge me, I would…
- If I wasn’t afraid, I would…
- If I trusted myself fully, I would…
This kind of freedom takes courage. It starts with being radically honest—with yourself first, and then with others. We believe you can’t grow or co-create unless you start with truth. And truth often sounds like:
“At 20 years old, my mother died, and I became the matriarch of my family. I don’t want to do it anymore. I want to be done. The uncomfortable part is that I don’t know how to be done.”
During a recent team standup, Beck Bamberger, CEO, and I each shared one radical truth. That was mine. But the thing about admitting radical truths is: There’s freedom in the acknowledgment itself.
Once you’ve experienced that kind of honesty, the next step toward Freedom To is clarity. Getting clear on what you want. No excuses. No justification. No softening or diluting. Just truth. Here’s what I want. Here’s who I want to be. Here’s what I want to build.
It’s Not a Corporate Initiative. It’s a Commitment.
Freedom To isn’t a one-and-done program. It’s not an HR campaign or a poster on the wall. It’s a lifelong commitment. To yourself. To your work. To your life.
Because we’re not chasing comfort—we’re choosing real. Even when it’s messy. And especially when it’s risky.
At BAM, we believe the most important work we’ll ever do is getting clear on who we are, what we want, and where we’re going. When people know who they are, and feel empowered to live that truth, trust becomes real. Growth becomes inevitable. And co-creating becomes possible.
Freedom doesn’t come easy. But getting there? That part can be simple. Start with radical honesty. Get clear on what you want. Take inspired action.
So, what uncomfortable truth are you avoiding? What do you actually want? And what are you willing to choose in order to get there?
LEAVE A COMMENT