the Secret of success

​I have been asked quite often, also this morning by another coach, what is the secret of my career. I’ve thought about this question and to tell you the truth, my answer is not the one we read from magazines or hear from podcasts. I did not have a clear goal or direction about what I want to achieve and what I would have developed and followed over the years. 

I’ve had set and shared goals for my work and my teams and for the corporations at Executive Teams and Boards. And today as a coach I talk about and help others in setting and defining goals and in companies communicating them in an effective way so that they can be reached. 
  
What made me gain the know-how and have the positions and also all the great adventures in my free time is the same what also got me into leaving my career and becoming an entrepreneur and coach. That is seeing that my work (and free time) is meaningful and interesting, that I am doing a good job and keeping what I promise, that I am living in the moment, listening to my heart and seizing the opportunities.

I have not been afraid to change jobs into totally different business areas or take totally new responsibility areas. It has not been intentional, I have only done what has interested me most at the time and then balanced my time and shared the responsibilities accordingly. Looking back now, strangely, the jobs do form a logical path where each position supports the others and as a whole create know-how that is much more than just one position or one industry could have offered.

When becoming an entrepreneur, coach and adviser I thought I was leaving my career behind and starting something completely new, even something a bit crazy. But I have realized that again, the move was a logical step forward. I have all the know-how and experience that I can now share and thanks to coaching, more understanding on how to best support others and also myself.

I’ve always taken the role where I can define and develop my tasks and work independently. This has meant long hours and working also during many weekends and holidays but I’ve always made sure that I’ve taken enough time to myself. In the end, only I (especially in an independent position) can make sure that I do not work too much and that I relax and rest enough. I also have not hesitated to step down e.g. from Board positions when I have felt that it is best. Now, thanks to all the work I have done earlier, I have full control of my time and of what I do with it, and a lot of free time. That is what I call success.