What does living mean to you? For many, living equates to success. Success in terms of how they are judged by other people in relation to their status. Status related to the clothes they wear, the neighborhood the reside in, the school their children attend, the cars they drive, the vacations they take, the position they occupy, and of course, the amount of money in their bank account. Is there more? If so, how and where do we find it?
I remember in elementary school how all my friends were fans of the University of Georgia football team. I liked them, too. My friends parents were wealthy and most of them attended each home game the Bulldogs played. They would come back sharing stories of how they met standout players like Heisman Trophy winner Hershel Walker, star quarterback Buck Belue, or stand-out wide receiver Lindsay Scott. To me, they were a success. A picture of the status I wanted to obtain. I desperately wanted to be like those kids. From the outside looking in they were living the dream. And then, one day, my Grandfather surprised me with a trip to Athens, Georgia to see the Dawgs play! This was it! I was one of them. I would be the one who would come back with all the stories, the memorabilia, and finally have a position of status equal to theirs! And then it happened. We attended the game, I got the swag, and didn’t feel one bit different. Nothing changed. I was the same person with a new experience, but I wasn’t transformed to the level that my significance increased internally. I wasn't feeling it! I was still the same “me”. Have you risen to the top only to find you've climbed the wrong tree? I've experienced what actor Will Smith has learned when he said, “Money and success don’t change people; they just amplify who they already are.” Who are you already? Are you a person who has significance outside of your circumstances, or are you dependent on them to be "ok"? Are you chasing a new you, like I was, through position and status? Do you want to determine how you want to live, and stop being a by-product of what’s going on around you? It takes intentionality and many times an executive coach can help you work through the process of change more effectively than you could do on your own. A good first step toward discovering your purpose is registering for a free strategy session that I’m making available to anyone who’s committed to a journey of growth. You can take advantage of this $125 value here. We all get enamored with external success at one time or another, that’s what happened to me that Saturday between the hedges. It’s also happened many times since as an adult. We've all sought an external experience hoping it delivers what can only come from inside of us. Over the years, I’ve learned countless times that money, success, and lifestyle don’t create in us the sense of significance that we anxiously await them to deliver. So, what is it that can fill this longing we desperately crave. This need to be at peace with ourselves and the world around us, regardless of the chaos or calm that we see and feel? I think Victor E. Frankl said it best: “Don't aim at success. The more you aim at it and make it a target, the more you are going to miss it. For success, like happiness, cannot be pursued; it must ensue, and it only does so as the unintended side effect of one's personal dedication to a cause greater than oneself or as the by-product of one's surrender to a person other than oneself. Happiness must happen, and the same holds for success: you have to let it happen by not caring about it. I want you to listen to what your conscience commands you to do and go on to carry it out to the best of your knowledge. Then you will live to see that in the long-run—in the long-run, I say! —success will follow you precisely because you had forgotten to think about it” What I hear in these words is that success is a by-product not a destination. Our destination is a cause or a person that is greater than ourselves. This begs the question- what is the purpose or person greater than yourself to which or whom you are personally dedicated? Do you have purpose? The making of who we are is found in our purpose! It’s found in our perfect surrender to that which we believe we are uniquely and specifically drawn to fulfill as our destiny. Do you know your destiny? Are you living or just exiting? To help you get closer to the purpose you were created for, I have provided a series of question below for you to consider. Investing 30 minutes to write your answers could produce a lifetime of reward.
I help successful people find significance. Take advantage of my offer to discuss your purpose by scheduling a free 30-minute coaching session, valued at $125 value here. What others are saying about W. Shane McKenzie "I’ve worked with Shane for several years. He possesses a unique and highly effective combination of strategy, team leader and great communicator, a rare combination. He has a very strategic mind so he makes connections and sees disjointed paths where others do not. This allows him to both plot direction and execute the path to success. He’s truly committed to the greatness in others. He listens fully, asks the right questions at the right time, and gives us the space to both think and respond." - Linda Lindquist-Bishop, Strategic Facilitator, Speaker, Exit Planning for Business Owners, and World Champion Athlete "Shane is a trusted friend and advisor who is passionate about people, life and developing leaders. I love his zeal for growth and how he exudes professionalism in every way. He is a tremendous leader and executive coach." - Sky Streety, Business Executive and Management Consultant
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AuthorW. Shane McKenzie is an Executive Coach and Mentor who specializes in helping successful leaders leave their job to own a business using proven strategies to minimize risk. Archives
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