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I handed in my badge, left the federal building in downtown Missoula, and retired after more than 30 years with the US Forest Service. When people asked what I was going to do next, I had a ready answer: I was going into business as a wellness coach. I had completed the training before I retired, and was checking off the practice hours, written test, and skills assessment needed for certification.
I have never regretted that decision. I love working with people who want to turn their lives around. I especially enjoy helping my fellow "boomers" build better wellness habits in midlife. I am energized by people who strive to improve their fitness, eat healthier food, manage stress, and explore the meaning in their lives. I am doing work that I love and reaping its many rewards.
Still, I sometimes wonder: "Am I successful?" For all the hours devoted to coaching groups and individuals, organizing fitness programs, and writing about wellness topics, I have not attained the hallmark of success in business terms. I don't make a lot of money.
After the first two years, I tired of business networking and marketing. I burned out on elevator speeches and pricing strategies. I allowed my Chamber of Commerce membership to lapse. Then, when volunteer opportunities surfaced, I snapped them up. I organized a Back of the Pack group in our running club. I offered to coordinate a marathon training program. I got hooked on writing Reflections every week and sharing it with family and friends.
The self-doubt is fading with time. As life unfolds, I am learning to measure success in terms of service, creativity, and companionship. I love the coaching role. I love writing. I love sharing the wellness journey with women and men who are changing their lives. We don't need more money to live a comfortable life. I have the privilege of doing what I love and offering it free of charge.
Most small businesses fail within the first five years. My business experiment contributes to that statistic. But, what, indeed, is failure? Years ago, my work team faced a near-impossible long-term project. As we wrote federal regulations that bounced back repeatedly from politicians and courts for revision, I embraced a new mantra: "When at first you don't succeed, re-define success." I learned, with Bill Murray in Groundhog Day, to start fresh each day, to take satisfaction from the journey, and to let go of the destination.
I revived that mantra after going into business for myself. I learned through cycles of writing a marketing plan, trying it, falling short, and trying again to love the work for its intrinsic value and to let go of its role as the means to a monetary end.
How do you measure your success in life and work? What is the mix of success as money and successfully living a life that embodies your deepest values?
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