My old friend John Sellards is doing something big, bold, and exciting.
He’s leaving his job at the university where he’s worked for 12 years to launch his own design business. John’s main interest is designing for the music industry; he has an impressive list of clients and completed work already. You can see some of his work on his new website.
He’s following his passion and creating a life that will allow him to do more of the work he loves while spending more time with the people he loves, his wife and young daughter.
I want John to be wildly successful. I expect that John will be wildly successful.
I first put those words together this February while celebrating the launch of my friend Guy Harris‘ new book, From Bud to Boss.
That evening, I hopped in the car with Guy and his wife Sandra to head out for dinner. On the way, we talked about Guy’s career path, his family’s experiences over the past few years, and their hopes for the future. Leaning forward in my seat, I told Guy “I want you to be wildly successful.”
I want all my friends to be wildly successful.
My friend Angie Chaplin recently launched a new business. So far, it’s going really well; she’s building a client base for her social media and leadership services while being present, available, and engaged with her husband and sons.
My friend Lisa started a new blog at the end of last year. A stay-at-home and homeschooling mom of three children, Lisa is using her writing talent to encourage others in their faith.
My friend Mike Henry Sr. has been working tirelessly to establish the Lead Change Group. He knows that we can change the world through character based leadership.
My friends David Burkus, Jesse Lyn Stoner, Chris Edmonds, and Pam Fox Rollin are all in the process of launching books. David’s book launched last week. The 2nd edition of Jesse’s book with Ken Blanchard will launch in April. Chris‘ and Pam’s books will launch in May.
David Pancost is a new friend who is working to establish a business. He has three goals: to build some awesome relationships, to support himself fully with work he finds online, and to help others achieve their own definitions of success.
How do you define wild success?
I imagine we all have different ideas about what success — wild success — looks like.
Whatever it is, I know that the path to wild success begins with doing what you love, with and for people you love. The path to wild success requires you to GIVE everything — your strengths, gifts, and abilities — to make a difference where you are.
Wild success. Whatever it looks like: I want it for you. I expect it for you.
Tell me something! Are you on the path to wild success? How do you define wild success? What does it look like for you? What can I do to help you become wildly successful?
Note: you know the super awesome logo and header for my blog? My friend John Sellards designed it. Are you looking for some cool design for your business? Email John.
I am the founder/CEO of the Weaving Influence team, the author of Reach: Creating the Biggest Possible Audience for Your Message, Book, or Cause, and the host of the Book Marketing Action Podcast. I’m a wife and mom of three kids, and I enjoy running, reading, writing, coffee, and dark chocolate.
WOW – you make me teary-eyed, my sisterfriend. =)
“Wild success” starts with some pretty personal stuff — knowing who you are before you try to figure out what you do. I reversed the two in my previous work/life, and it took a while to get there this time, but now I know that the time allowed me to find my voice, align my values, and then take action — all steps from The Leadership Challenge from Kouzes & Posner, by the way. =)
The key word in finding success is LOVE. Love for yourself, the people around you, the people you serve, the work you do. I am so blessed to have people surround me with love, but also keep me grounded and aren’t afraid to be loving critics, because we all need those too.
One of my catch-phrases is “Live. Love. Learn. Lead.” Maybe those are the steps to becoming wildly successful, and the more we give these things away to others, the more we get in return?
GREAT POST (and NOT just because you mention me!) =)
Great post, Becky!! Your heart is beautiful and generous, and we are all blessed by knowing you and being able to share life with you.
When I launched my company, I had a good friend who could not rally support. She did not want me to be wildly successful, and she showed emotions and jealousy that I had never seen in her. It was both telling and sad to me, and our friendship has never been the same.
Likewise, when I it a huge milestone in my business, another one of my close friends also had a MAJOR accomplishment. She had earned some global attention, a huge publication and an invitation to attend an event with Michelle Obama…all on the same day that I was published on Forbes.com.
Never once did I hesitate to celebrate her! I couldn’t have cared less that it all happened on the same day, because I just wanted her to be recognized and noticed for how brilliant she is!! I want her to be wildly successful!!
You are such a true friend to so many, Becky, and you model what friendship and leadership look like every day. Thank you for always reminding us of what’s important!
“Whatever it is, I know that the path to wild success begins with doing what you love, with and for people you love.”
“The key word in finding success is LOVE.”
I couldn’t possibly agree with you and Angie more. Loving what you do and loving the people for whom you do it absolutely critical to any kind of success, wild or not.
I love the phrase you use – wildly successful. That stirs such a great picture in my mind. I see complete abandonment to the joys of life.
That phrase matches well with my personal catch phrase, “Live loud. Live bold. Live well.” I believe, as Angie does, that Love is the key to doing just that. And you, my friend, are a great example for us to follow. 🙂
“The path to wild success requires you to GIVE everything — your strengths, gifts, and abilities — to make a difference where you are.” is the sentence that resonated with me. You can change a few words and it is equally as true:
“The path to wild success TAKES everything — your strengths, gifts, and abilities — to make a difference where you are.”
Wild success is a destination but it is also a journey.
It is the days when it takes more than you have that I think are the best indicators of your potential for success. The end of those first days of the new business when the client list is empty, the days your blog post just doesn’t resonate with anyone (hitting refresh doesn’t change the stats!), the dark days (or nights) in the middle of writing the book …
… when the voices whisper “You know you are not enough. This is beyond you. You don’t deserve this.” and despite yourself you are open to the possibility they may just be right.
I haven’t read any of the books or engaged with the businesses you mention so I cannot comment on quality, but I can tell you that I believe each one of the people you mention are wildly successful because they came back the next day and the next day and kept on doing their thing. And you are right Becky, they deserve every success.
I love that question, “What does it look like to be wildly successful?” It seems as though many of us are going through life just putting out fires and we don’t really know what it is that we’re actually trying to accomplish. We’re slaves to our schedules without thinking about where they’re taking us.
The bottom line for me is “Loving the Lord with all my heart, soul, mind and strength and loving my neighbor as myself.” I want to be so in tune with God each day that I am available to see what He is doing in and around me. Then I’ll know where to invest my time and energy. I want to “store up treasures in heaven.”