Meet Glenn... Mr. Successful

Glenn knew he wasn’t the “work hard, play hard” kind of guy– and didn’t really want to be– but when he found himself identifying as the “all work, no play” kind of guy, he knew something had to give.

He had “made it” on the outside:

Glenn described himself as one-dimensional because he was all about work, work, and more work. Caught by the trappings of success, he had spent the last 10 years feeling empty but not sure how to fill up his proverbial bucket without putting his career at risk. “If I take time off, how will that impact my billable hours,” he fretted. He didn’t think he could remain successful– or become even more successful– if he started “getting a life” outside of his career.

We spent a lot of time early on in our coaching engagement getting him clear on what he valued in all aspects of his life, which values he was honoring and which ones he was ignoring. Glenn spent time reflecting on what the ideal version of himself would be, which wasn’t as far apart as he thought from the life he was living.

The Deathbed Regret intervention was the most impactful of all in Glenn’s program. Participating in this structured exercise, he was able to see where he needed to make specific adjustments in his life, right down to the detail of picking up guitar lessons again, starting to date, and checking out Buddhism once and for all. Glenn wasn’t able to see the repercussions of his lifestyle until he envisioned himself disappointed at the end (i.e.: the real life end), which stoked the motivational fires for him.

Glenn didn’t have to blow up his career to feel like he was living wider and deeper. In fact, he reports being better at his job because of the perspective he has gained, and because he comes in fresh on Monday mornings after actually taking weekends off. He still works more than most people, but he wouldn’t have it any other way. Now he feels like his life is well-rounded and in no way, shape or form leading to the land of regrets.