Success by Design: Transforming Work into Passion and Purpose

I just came back from one of my routine trips to the US where I had very successful engagements with three of our clients and I’ve been overwhelmed by the quality of the feedback and comments we have been receiving. That’s what inspired me to write this article about what it feels like to be in a place where you have so many success stories to share, why you should pursue such a life, and how you can begin taking steps to achieve it. What I’d like to accomplish is to inspire you to do the work you love and experience unprecedented fulfillment (partly by sharing what that looks like for me and how I got here).

If you currently aren’t loving what you do, realize that that isn’t something you have to accept and things don’t have to be like this. I’d encourage you to care enough about yourself and the people around you to figure out what’s missing and do what you need to do to put yourself in a position where:

• You are doing what you love to do
• You are good at it
• It is making a meaningful difference in the world
• You are getting rewarded and compensated well for it

Although I realize this is far easier said than done, trust me when I say that it is definitely a goal worth pursuing. Anything short of this is a compromise that you don’t have to make. While achieving this goal isn’t necessary to be happy and fulfilled, if you can create such a life, you will enjoy a level of fulfillment and satisfaction beyond anything you can imagine right now. I say all this only to emphasize that while the journey is long and difficult, the reward is more than worth it.

Keep in mind, success here isn’t possible with an instant gratification mentality that wants everything now without having done the work. Part of what creates that sense of fulfillment is the dedication and work required to shape your life around it. That requires a long-term mindset and commitment to do what needs to be done to make the short-term sacrifices you need to win the long game in the end.

I consider myself to be in that place right now in my life. As I look back on the decades that brought me to this point, I see that the way wasn’t always straight and clear and without obstacles. I also realize that I would not have been able to design all the good and the bad and ugly experiences that brought me to this exact point today. What made the biggest difference for me were not the grand, epic life-changing decisions, but rather the small course corrections along the way and the mindset that framed those small decisions in the context of going for something extraordinary in the end.

I worked with some great leaders and a few terrible bosses. I was valued in some organizations and overlooked in others. I had some big successes, but also some pretty huge setbacks. However, rather than asking, “Why did this happen to me?” I would be intentional about asking myself, “How can this setback help me grow?”

I turned down a significant promotion because it didn’t line up with my passion and what I wanted to do with my life. I hit reset to get my work-life balance together and took a major short-term hit from my bosses who were not happy about it. All of these “setbacks” and more could have been devastating if I had not had the “GPS” of my commitment always pointing me in the direction of the transformative future I envisioned for myself. In the end, I eventually arrived in a place where I do the work I love with clients that I love to work with, I do the work I’m good at doing, and my work makes a difference in the world, and our clients are happy to reward us generously the value we bring them.

Again, the point here is not to boast but to let you know it can happen for you. Although I have been lucky to achieve this success, I am very clear about two things: It wasn’t all about luck, and there is nothing special about me. This kind of success rarely, if ever, comes about due to random chance; it is something you have to intentionally cultivate and create potential within and around yourself to achieve. And anything that requires intention to be brought about can be reproduced by others with that same intention.

All it takes is a moment to imagine yourself there and to actually believe that it’s possible for you. Beyond that, you calibrate the compass of your commitment to constantly point toward that transformative future, and you don’t stop walking until you get there.

If there are topics you find to be of special value to you, or if you’d just like to get in touch and chat about what’s going on with you, simply reply to this newsletter or send me an email at [email protected] .?If you’re experiencing challenges that you would like my perspective on, or you’d like to explore how we can partner with you to support you in your transformative journey, please click here to schedule a call with me.?I’d love to hear from you.

Further Reading

If you’d like to learn more about topics covered in this week’s newsletter article, check out the related resources I’ve included below.

Let’s have a chat!

Clients and audience members at my talks frequently tell me:

• "I felt like you were talking specifically to me!"
• "Your perspective is so real and practical!"
• "Are you sure you don't work at my company? Because you were talking about exactly what we’re dealing with!"

I love hearing this feedback because my intent is always to make a real difference in your team's mindset and behaviors, which ultimately shape the culture, results, and fulfillment in your workplace.

The top problems we solve for clients with our coaching, speaking, and consulting services are:

1. People working in silos and lack of collaboration toward a shared vision.
2. Functional experts in leadership roles who aren’t equipped with the right skills and mindset to lead effectively
3. People in the middle or frontlines of an organization failing to take initiative and be accountable.

If you’re experiencing any of these issues—or other challenges you would like to get some expert guidance on—feel free to reply to this message and let me know your situation. I’ll get back to you very shortly with my thoughts on what you can do to start making progress.

Alternatively, click here to schedule a free discovery call to discuss your situation in more detail and to explore if and how The Ghannad Group can partner with you to transform your culture and results. During our conversation, I’ll share practical ideas and insights relative to your situation and we can jointly determine whether we can support you going forward.

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