Guest Blog: Remember Who You Are: A Message for the Hidden Lions in Business

By: Shaun West

Business Coach | Consultant

Have you ever looked in the mirror and wondered, how did I end up here?

A quiet voice of doubt… the noise of the day-to-day… the feeling of being lost in the very business you once felt fired up about.

If you’re reading this, chances are you’re already a high achiever — or at the very least, someone with the drive to be one. And that’s not flattery, it’s a fact. Because people who choose to spend their time reading growth-minded blogs like this don’t settle. They seek more. They’re curious, ambitious, and quietly determined — even when they don’t feel it.

But even high achievers can lose their way.

I recently met with Michael Knowles, the MD at ROAR, and was delighted when he asked me to write a guest blog. I love adding value, especially for business owners — my kind of people. As I thought about what to write, one story kept coming to mind.

The lion who forgot who he was

There once was a young lion. Born to a proud pride, destined to lead, to hunt, to rule, to be a high achiever just like you.

One day, he woke up and his family were gone. No explanation. No warning. Gone. Alone and frightened, he took shelter in a dark cave. Each night, unfamiliar noises made him flinch. The world now felt dangerous without direction and the guidance he’d once known.

One morning, as the light crept into the cave, he heard a strange sound: Baaa…Baaa…

Peeking out, he saw a flock of sheep grazing peacefully. Curious and lonely, he wandered over. The sheep, unaware of what he was, welcomed him in and he joined the flock. Days turned into weeks. The lion grazed. He bleated. He followed the Herd.

And slowly… he forgot he was a lion.

Until one day, a ROARRRR echoed through the valley. A group of lions had attacked the flock. Chaos and Fear ensued. But strangely, they spared him.

Shaking, he approached the lead lion and asked, “Why didn’t you harm me?”. The chief lion looked him up and down, then dragged him away from the scene. He handed him raw meat. The young lion hesitated… but ate. The taste stirred something buried deep inside.

Then the chief led him to a river. “Look” he said.

And there, in the reflection, he saw himself — truly saw himself — for the first time. A Lion. Not a Sheep.

He let out an almighty ROAR! A realisation washed over him: I was never meant to eat grass.

This story has always stuck with me. Why? Because I’ve met countless business owners who, without realising it, have started grazing with the sheep. They forgot who they are and why they got into business in the first place. It’s not down to laziness or lack of talent. It’s life. Fatigue. Confusion. Fear. The constant feeling of, “I’m not sure what to do next.” So, they follow the herd. They survive — but they forget how to thrive.

And yet, beneath all of that — the daily grind, the endless to-do list, the creeping self-doubt — there’s still a Lion.

This is something I see all the time with the business owners I work with. The hunger is still there. The power. The drive. They just need someone to remind them who

they really are.

So when Michael asked me to write this blog, I couldn’t think of a more fitting story — especially for an agency named ROAR.

A Final Thought…

If this story resonates with you — if you’ve ever felt like the lion who forgot — know this:

You’re not alone. And more importantly… you’re not broken. You’re just disconnected from your original fire.

You don’t need to do more. You need to remember more.

The roar is still in you. Maybe it’s time to find a river, look at your reflection, and let it out.

So ask yourself…

1. Why did you start this business in the first place?
2. Is the path you’re on still heading in the right direction?
3. If not — how can you change it?

Maybe it’s time to reconnect with the team at ROAR.

Or maybe it’s about finding someone who can give you that nudge, that challenge —

that shake of the scruff — to awaken the lion within and remind you that you were

never meant to eat grass.

And if that sounds like what you need, it would be my absolute pleasure to assist.

Shaun West

Business Coach | Consultant

Shaun West Consultancy