If you are happy and successful in your personal life (living your own purpose and mission) your “work life” rockets! The corollary is not true.
Read that again, and let it sink in. Thanks to my friend Ryan Leak, who is a motivational speaker, executive coach, and again, a best-selling author, for this quote because this is right from his new book, Leveling Up: 12 Questions to Elevate Your Personal and Professional Development.
The book released before the holiday, which is great timing, especially for me. This is the best time of the year for me to take the opportunity to delve into new ideas and perspectives and my own self-development and vision for growth.
As I reflect on my own “career-rocketing” moments, I see how right Ryan is. When I drove significant growth and new offerings to build World 50 more than a decade ago, I was rocketing first in my personal life. One element? I was in my best physical shape, working out every morning with a variety of weights, running, and swimming, no matter if I was traveling internationally or had a jammed day of meetings. This commitment to my physical health fueled me and put me in my “zone.” I knew that that feeling of “being strong” gave me an energy boost which carried into all aspects of my day, from being more open to ideas to making optimal decisions. During this time, I also planned three trips annually with close friends and fellow executives who are part of my Personal Board of Advisors. I needed those personal sounding boards in my own leadership and life. Finally, my kids were in their own great spots and their fulfillment fueled me as well.
I can also reflect on the corollary – when I was chasing my career success with total immersion without taking care of my personal life first. This was the time when my marriage failed. That saying, “You can’t be married to your career and date your spouse,” is so true.
Ryan’s book starts with the all-important first question… the vision question. What is success for you (not someone else’s version of success for you)?
I had a chance to zero in on that vision when I started Signature. This journey (notice I call it a journey and not a business) was all about making a difference for women in their own leadership, but I knew it couldn’t be about just leadership. This is why the program is so holistic, from personal brand to self-care to critical relationship strategies. In one of our first alumni retreats, our alumni coined the idea that Signature was about “AND.” It wasn’t just business, it was leadership AND life.
It is now 10 years since we began, and the journey continues. My definition of success has never been measured by financial goals, though I am proud Signature was recognized in 2022 as one of the Fastest-Growing Private Companies in the Inc. 5000. That award was the result of living our mission. We are often approached now by investors and PE firms asking us if we are ready to take money and grow even bigger. This hasn’t happened, because my definition of success for Signature isn’t about revenue and profit, it is about creating a bigger IMPACT on our mission of accelerating more women leaders into next-level leadership.
If I have done my job well, I’ve impacted HOW you think about your own personal influence and impact on others. Do you have someone you are mentoring? Are you consciously “pulling up” women behind you? Are you taking one of your own special gifts and applying it outside of your daily role? I loved seeing Joey Peck from Allegion, a graduate of Select in 2020, teach personal brand and impact to a high school class! Check out her LinkedIn post.
Are you happy in your personal purpose and mission, marking success by your own definition? Are you staying healthy? Are you planning time first with friends and family and enjoying LIFE? If you can crush this, the career fulfillment will be there. I PROMISE.
The goal of Ryan’s book is to leverage 12 loaded questions to help people level up to a place where they feel like they’re in such a sweet spot, professionally and personally, that they can help others get there too.
For Signature, I am expecting our impact to grow exponentially over the next five years, but we can only make that happen with your help, measured by our collective impact. With 2,400 alumni strong, and growing, we can be a force together. I need your help in 2023, and I will be personally asking you for this during the year. Are you ready?
Happy New Year! Here’s to a “Rocketing” one!
