True Success
Over my 25-plus years of corporate leadership, I have mentored, coached, and interviewed hundreds of senior executives, most of whom were working incredibly hard to be better people, employees, spouses, and parents.
Surprisingly, when asked if they were truly fulfilled and happy with the direction of their lives, a vast majority answered with a definitive no.
While achieving material success, it felt somewhat hollow due to an absence of deep meaning and lasting satisfaction. They had lost their ‘mojo’, their place in the world.
In his book ‘Halftime’, Bob Buford explores the concept that life has two halves. The first half of life is spent seeking success, while the second half was focused on significance…serving others, cultivating meaningful relationships, and living with purpose.
The idea was to encourage successful people to redeploy their talents and time to the service of others, at a later stage of life.
In reality, there is no success without significance. They are not mutually exclusive.
Popular culture has fed us the notion that ‘success’ in life is found in accumulating wealth, our status in society, achieving great things or how much power we can exert over others.
True success is prosperity with purpose.
Few people I have spoken with over the years rarely think about the inevitable – end of life – or reflect on what life they want to live and how they want to be remembered.
Instead, they are living by default, chasing material success without truly asking why.
At Cultivate, we exist to help people and organisations unlock the power of purpose to create positive change. In effect, encouraging them to ask their ‘why’.
Discovering your purpose can be uncomfortable. It’s because purpose is the intersection of aspiration and reality. Identifying your potential and who you really want to be, today and into the future.
Purpose is deeply rooted in your character, is consistent with your values and above all, is authentic.
I primarily work with Chief Financial Officers (CFOs), and although most have carefully considered their career by focusing on what they are good at, few have really thought about the concept of ‘true success’ before they pursued it.
Over time many have lost sight on what makes their career purposeful in the first place, finding themselves confused and not sure where to begin.
This level of transformational change is a decision of the heart. Seeking to understand why you do the things you do, your behaviour, is the catalyst to reflect and start the process of change.
It may involve altering the way you view work or invest in positive relationships or even evaluating your profession, lifestyle, and location.
When considering a deeper vision for true success, ask yourself.
· What is the core purpose of my work and how does it make the world better?
· How can I pursue greater meaning in my personal and professional life?
· Who are the key relationships in my life (in and out of work) and how can I enrich them?
· What more can I do at work, at home and in my community to serve others?
· How am I becoming better each day?
It is never too late to experience true success, but don’t waste time on the merry-go-round of life.
I truly believe we are designed, as human beings, to serve others and care about what’s happening in the world around us.
Whatever that means for you. Go for it!
If you're a CEO looking for a transformative CFO who leads with both head and heart or a senior executive seeking to discover your 'unique potential and purpose', then we need to talk.
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