What is success?

A couple of weeks ago, my oldest called me. He asked me what is success. I wasn't sure what he was looking for, so I explained what it is to me. First, each of us needs to define it for ourselves in order to know what it looks like and if we've achieved it. I explained to him, that for me it's finding joy in living this life I've been given regardless of the circumstances. I explained to my son that raising him and his brother and sister into happy, healthy, thriving young people who are better off than we were growing up is success. Knowing that I've left the things I am responsible for in a better state than when I received that responsibility or took that responsibility is success. That's what I want to continue to do--leave things better than when I found them. That's my legacy.

When the kids were young, NBB loved the animated movie, "Robots". We watched it often. I can still hear Bigweld's voice say, "See a need, fill a need." That resonates with me still to this day. I'm not waiting for someone else to do it when I can. It's even better if I can teach someone else to do it and why to do it so that there are more of us doing good because we can. Because we're called.

My call is simple, "Feed my sheep, feed my lambs, take care of them. Because you love Me." (John 21:15-17). I am far from perfect, but my main spiritual gift is exhortation which is the gift of encouraging others. It's not just a gift, but also aligned to my greatest strengths which are in seeing each person as an individual, with their own strengths and weaknesses, and relating to them and how to use what they have in the best ways possible. I see people and love them anyway, in spite of, because of how they are made. And in seeing them, I can help them find their way forward. 

Tonight, I received a call from an old friend and former team member. She said, "Whenever I think of you, I think about the story you told me of the woman you interviewed who wanted to hug you after the interview. You bring that out in people. They just meet you and feel known." I laughed and said that I planned to have dinner in two days with that woman. That even after she moved on to her next job, we stayed in touch and maintain our friendship, mentorship, and do life together even today because of that bond. These women and men I've worked with over the years have told me the difference I have made in their lives. How I have been the best boss, leader, manager they've ever had... they are my success. They're success, growth, maturation, adaptation, change, or whatever else I came into their life to help them get to or through is what success looks like to me. 

In ten days, I will start a new job as a Senior IT Operations Manager. I get to do what I love: build a great team one person at a time. I was sharing with my current leaders over the last two days what I hope they will continue to do that we started together, but how I hope they will also take new steps without my leadership and leave their own marks on the team for its betterment. I don't want things to stay as I left them, I want them to continue to become whatever each next stage is for the person or the team. I think that's what's so exciting--it can be whatever we want to make of it. So the next time you see a need, fill the need and find your path to success.