Redefining success for yourself
Before I jump into today’s post, a quick heads up: if you’re involved in sport, health, or fitness, AND/OR you’re creating an unconventional career path for yourself, I think you’ll love today’s podcast. If you want to get straight to it, here it is: podcast.camilledeputter.com/e/episode-34-how-to-leave-your-mark-with-scott-livingston
Now onto today’s regularly scheduled programming…
It’s officially summer and my garden is in full swing. At a time when there is so much violence and upheaval in the world, it does my heart good to see wildlife thrive in my own backyard.
Birds at the feeder, butterflies at the milkweed, bees and other pollinators at the various bright blooms, plus visits from our local fox (which perhaps doesn’t bode well for some of the smaller garden guests, but that’s nature I guess.) Not to mention, of course, all the plants themselves, especially veggies, many of which make up a substantial portion of my diet in the summer months.
I don’t have any illusions that my little backyard garden will save the world, but it feels like a tiny contribution, and that means something to me.
Through this blog and my podcast, I often explore questions related to legacy, impact, and how to measure success. Reflecting on the contribution we want to make can lead us in the right direction when it comes to our storytelling. It can help us focus on which stories we want to tell and which ideas we want to share. It can help us determine when it’s time to go all-in on big projects (like writing a book). And it can help us gauge whether or not something has been successful.
Alongside these conversations, I can’t help but to think about the value of tiny contributions. We live in a world where the expectations for “success” can feel impossibly, hyperbolically high. As though our work needs to reach hundreds of thousands, maybe even millions, of people in order to make a difference. Ditto for the money any given project is supposed to make.
It’s also easier than ever to compare ourselves to others and fall into the trap of measuring ourselves and our work by other people’s standards. (Or at least the standards other people appear to set, because you never really know what’s going on behind the scenes.)
So, as a little thought experiment, here are some prompts to consider:
➡️ How would YOU define success for yourself, if no one else was looking?
➡️ What is your definition of a “tiny contribution”?
➡️ What would it mean to “go big” on a tiny contribution?
➡️ What kind of mark would you like to leave on the world?
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If you need a little added inspiration, I always find that Emerson’s poem What Is Success speaks to me. [/caption]
For more insight into this subject — particularly around building your own career and going your own way through life — check out the latest episode of the Storytelling With Heart podcast featuring Scott Livingston.
Scott Livingston is an athletic therapist, master performance coach, and reconditioning professional. With 35+ years of practice in the human performance industry working in every conceivable performance environment, Scott has trained and reconditioned college, Olympic and professional athletes from just about every imaginable sport.
(For the hockey fans: Scott’s career experience included eleven seasons in the NHL as an athletic therapist and strength and conditioning coach with the Montreal Canadiens, New York Rangers, and New York Islanders.)
These days, Scott is co-founder of Reconditioning HQ, and host of the Leave Your Mark podcast, where he explores people’s life journeys.
Notably, Scott crafted his own career from the ground-up. He didn’t take a “regular” job, nor did he work his way up the ladder. At each career step, he thought about how he could craft a role that would allow him to contribute in his own unique way.
In this conversation we explore how Scott (aka Scotty) got to where he is today, some of the ups and downs of his journey, and some of the things he’s learned through his travels.
Topics and ideas we explore:
🖼️ It is your picture to paint: The pros and cons of creating a new role or career path for yourself that doesn’t exist yet.
🎨 Getting comfortable with “slow painting”: Why making big industry changes can be possible, but it might take more time than you think.
☺️ How to do more of what brings you joy: How to identify the things you really love and start to do more of them (even when your current life is built around obligation and responsibility to others.)
💭 The power of inner storytelling: The ways our inner narratives can help or hinder us, and how to start to examine and expand them.
❓ The value of self-reflection and introspection: Why it’s necessary to look inwards if you want to make an impact.
🧠 How to use neuroscience to your advantage in personal growth — and why you need an accountability practice to change.
🎙️ Why it’s worth asking people about their lives (not just their expertise): How Scotty fulfilled a lifelong dream of broadcasting through his podcast, and his approach to exploring real life stories on his podcast.
🧭 The truth about career growth and arriving at your “destination”: Scotty’s biggest life revelation from looking back on his career.
Have a listen wherever you enjoy streaming podcasts: my website, Spotify, Apple, Google, Amazon, and anywhere else you listen to podcasts.
Meanwhile, keep on making your contribution to the world, even if that’s just showing up as nothing but yourself.