We caught up on some of our Google analytics last week, and there was a surprising nugget in there. One of the most common search terms that brought people to our strategic leadership quiz was "how to become a CEO".
I've been thinking about that ever since. It's interesting to pinpoint the 'typical' pinnacles of success we measure ourselves against. CEO. Marathon. Married. Author. Whatever. I reckon those are usually proxies that we use to signify something else.
CEO = rich and professionally successful.
Marathon = fit and healthy.
Married = desired and loveable.
Author = smart and impressive.
Proxies are flawed though, aren't they? I've worked with heaps of CEOs and typically successful people, and many experience the same two realisations:
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They're still the same people when they get there - they haven't transformed, and don't feel very differently about themselves.
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The experience is not what they had in mind. The life of a CEO, or the reality of a marriage, don't align with the popular culture representation.
It's a bit like losing weight. Weight loss is a hollow achievement that rarely delivers what we hope it will. Instead, if we want to feel more confident in our body, or more attractive, or healthier, we're best to focus on how we do that, rather than making weight loss the goal.
Instead of aiming for typical "life success" markers, it's useful to think about the outcome we want, rather than the achievement itself. If we want to feel useful, or financially safe, or like we've contributed to the world, or fit, or healthy, or loved - what are the ways we can do that for ourselves?
I reckon once we nail that, we enjoy our achievements an awful lot more.
For those of you who are still stuck on the first paragraph and wondering what the secret to being a CEO is - I can help you with that too. Check out this article
But first: work out why you want it, and focus on liking yourself more. You're great.
Til next week,
A
Alicia McKay