In the tag line for LEAP we state: Leverage your Expertise; Achieve Prosperity. I want to be very clear that my definition of prosperity is NOT making as much money as you possibly can at the expense of your health, your family, your spirit or soul.
While the common definition of prosperity is focused on financial wealth, at LEAP we define prosperity to be a successful flourishing or thriving condition. The Latin origins of this word are “doing well” – which allows for doing well in a holistic manner that can include but is not limited to financial success. One can do well by doing meaningful work, by cultivating meaningful relationships, by being physically healthy, by doing good work and by continuing to learn and grow.
In June of 2004, as I was launching my practice, I wrote a few pages of what “success” would look like. The very first paragraph summarizes this reframing of the definition of success or prosperity:
“The challenge of defining business success is that the measures commonly used are size, income, profit, growth, and market share. I would like to redefine business success as operating the business in such a way that there is deep and meaningful congruence with my personal values, hopes, aspirations and dreams.”
What followed is an ongoing experiment in how to integrate work with the rest of my life; how to earn a living and to have a rich life.
Prosperity in the Real World
While it has evolved over time, my practice has enabled me to successfully:
- Earn a good living, one that has surpassed what I thought I would ever earn
- Do the work I am best suited for; and to do this work every day not just some of the time
- Enable my clients to achieve something that is important to them
- Continually grow and develop my professional skills
- Adjust my work schedule to attend to important elements of my life, enabling me to spend time with my parents in their “end of life” years and my new, beautiful grandbabies
- Grow my personal network exponentially; working side by side with amazing, smart and vibrant people
- Take time to take care of my own health and well being
- Integrate giving back as a part of my day to day work; both in treasure and time
As I started my consulting business, I had only a glimpse of just how integrated life and work could be. I had little idea that work and life could meld together seamlessly in one grand adventure. I was blind to how much satisfaction I’d realize through the combination of good work, good people, and good contribution.
And that, my friends, it as good a definition of prosperity.
At LEAP we help others achieve prosperity through building successful independent consulting practices.
To learn more, consider reading Owning It: Take Control of Your Life, Work, and Career by Kris Taylor. Then explore some of our programs, such as our Launch Series.
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