The Most Meaningful Thing In Your Life

4 min read

I was driving home from the grocery store today and in the background the radio was playing. I was super focused and happy because everything was going well and according to my “plan”. I even got up at 5 am today. I was so excited to continue working on my projects from yesterday.

As my thoughts allowed me to take a second break, I heard the woman on the radio saying “I was carrying my unborn baby knowing that she will only live for minutes ...”

My mind completely disconnected from my thoughts and attached itself to the invisible voices over the radio. And for the next seven and a half minutes I tuned into this mother’s beautiful story of pain, grief, loss and gratitude.

I don’t remember the exact medical term for the heart condition the baby had, but I quickly understood the doctors told her that in the best-case scenario her baby girl’s heart would stop beating as soon as she was born. And given that abortion was not legal in her state, she was told to continue her pregnancy until the day of her delivery.

Desperately looking for some sort of support and third option, the mother found a doctor who was running a care group support for women and families that had to go through such life events as she was experiencing. This doctor and her team helped her to prepare a transition plan for how to welcome her baby girl into this world and how to say goodbye to her – all within minutes.

So, when the day of the C-section came the medical staff granted the mother the opportunity to put her baby girl on her chest as soon as she was born. She felt her heart beating and they also made a recording it. They took her foot and handprints. There was a priest and a photographer in the delivery room. The father, the older siblings and the grandparents were all allowed to meet and hold the baby girl for a few minutes.

And after 27 minutes her heart peacefully stopped beating in her father’s arms. “That was the worst and probably the best 27 minutes of my life” the mother said.

Then I opened the car door without realizing that the radio would stop playing. I felt sad for not continuing to listen. Yet, I was also overwhelmed by my own emotions.

“Can you imagine that Andrea?” A voice in my head quietly asked.

“I cannot. But I wish I could be part of such a doctor’s team.”

Hours later I was reading this paragraph from John Wood’s book Leaving Microsoft to Change the World “The organization [Room to Read] has a way of motivating people who are looking to do more with their lives. You reach a certain level of business success, and you realize that this is not enough. You start to look for something more meaningful.?This is the best thing I’ve found, and I have been searching for a long time.”

And then it hit me. Although, I had some moments of “thinking big”, if I am honest, according to my knowledge of my own skills and capabilities, I have been indeed playing it safe. Yes, I admit it. I am not proud of it, but I realize unless I admit it out loud, I will never be able to move to the next phase in my work.

Deep down I always had this passion, drive and curiosity to support engineers to change the world through what they do, yet didn’t dare to ask them what that was.

Until now.

Today, I have decided that I will greet every engineer with this simple yet powerful question: How can I help you to do the most meaningful thing you want to do in your life?

The most meaningful thing for that mother on the radio was to find one person or two who can see beyond the immense sadness and loss she was experiencing and help prepare her for the best 27 minutes of her life.

I want to be that engineer whisperer for engineers.

I want to help engineers and engineering leaders achieve their most meaningful thing in their lives.

So, let me ask you right now: How can I help you to do the most meaningful thing you want to do in your life?

Tell me. Looking forward to your response.

Thanks for listening,

Imagine a place where seeking the most meaningful thing in your life will let you re-engineer your life backwards. A place where you meet others who are doing the same. A place where you are seen, heard, and understood. That's THE PLACE, Your Transition Circle. Join today! We start on Nov. 12th. More details here: https://www.andreaclough.com/the-place or watch the video: https://youtu.be/ni5bvCkMDhM

Give The Gift Of Coaching will open on Nov. 1st. Choose from 3 Holiday Coaching Packages & Donate to a Stranger to help someone else with their transition.