I’m a fraud. A failure. I’ll never make this work.
[Me, about 5 years ago.]
When I left my law practice, I had a vision:
Just one problem…
I didn’t actually know what that “space” was.
Several years in, I was beginning to realize those goals never truly belonged to me. They were based on what others expected of me, not what I wanted for myself.
And I had failed at the goals I’d originally set. Not only was I not making enough money to cover expenses, but I was questioning everything—what I wanted, where I fit, and whether I even belonged in this new world.
In the middle of that identity crisis, my husband asked:
“Would you consider going back to practicing law?”
[Ouch, right?]
Funny enough, this comment lit a fire in me.
I went all-in on my current business and hired an online sales coach to help me get the word out (the right way).
The takeaways from this, Friend?
No matter how much you work or how hard you want it, you are not guaranteed success in any individual endeavor.
Sometimes you might be on the wrong track.
Other times, you might not be in luck.
And it might not be yours to have (yet).
But that doesn’t mean you won’t become successful (over time). It's about defining success your way and then showing up. Again and again.
This is why I now define success based primarily on input instead of outcome.
Sure, I still set goals. Yes, I measure progress.
But I focus more on what I can control (my input), meaning:
Supporting my mindset (so I don’t give up and can learn from setbacks).
Aligning to my values (so my decisions feel right no matter the outcome).
Leading with my strengths (so I enjoy the journey getting there).
Although this won't guarantee when or how success will come. And "success" might end up looking different than initially imagined.
But you will have success (you can actually enjoy) this way.
XO,
Heather
