I help people and organizations see what's hiding in plain sight. Currently exploring the gap between achievement and feeling successful. Are you a success?

Hudson, WI
Joined March 2009
Are you a success? I'm collecting stories about how our definitions of success change over time—and the gap between achievement and feeling successful. I'd love your perspective. Take my short survey: docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1F…
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Agree. How do we stay informed, but not limited, by our past? Easier said than done, but possible.
Replying to @gcjader
That’s a thoughtful question, Gary. I think the distinction is between allowing our past to inform us and allowing it to define or limit us. We can acknowledge our mistakes, understand our experiences and learn from them without remaining trapped in them. For me, understanding my past has helped me make better decisions about my future. Perhaps the challenge isn’t leaving our past behind, but learning what to carry forward and what to let go of.
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"challenging echo chambers" is brilliant, Amanda!
Replying to @gcjader
I agree, Gary. I believe it is possible, particularly if we all take greater accountability for our actions and their consequences. Social media can be toxic or helpful, depending on how we choose to use it. Rather than sharing quotes that are unrealistic, misleading or lacking important context, we should take responsibility for fact-checking what we share before hitting post. And when we encounter misleading information, we should be willing to question and challenge it, respectfully and constructively. That’s one practical step towards challenging echo chambers and building a thoughtful, compassionate community online. Then taking those same values into our offline world. At the end of the day, I believe it’s the people who were willing to stand up, challenge what was wrong and work towards making the world a better place who will be remembered.
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Met with Russ this Sunday. He had his minister with him and we planned his Celebration of Life. It was a great conversation. "I want people to have fun," he said. "Something they could not have when I was around." #SuccessTrain #JoyTrain
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Gary Jader/Closing the Gap retweeted
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Great company. Thanks, Rock #SuccessTrain
VIP Influencers & Leaders #SuccessTRAIN Community #BusinessMonday Gary Jader @gcjader HD Boykin, Jr @HDBoykinJr @AnaLuciaNovak @ThriveInAI @RockSolidAdvice Axel Koster @AxelKoster Amy Neumann @AmyNeumannArt Network with SuccessCENTER Businesses on SuccessCENTER.co
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For those of us who primarily play in the B2B space, it can feel very isolating. SuccessCENTER can help you feel a sense of belonging. We are all in this together. #SuccessTrain
#SuccessTRAIN Business Monday SuccessCENTER.com - List Your Business Profile with All Your Links - Post B2B Articles & Share in Social Media - Business Success Vault - 1000s of #Business #Marketing & #AI Resources - Post Events Free - Premium Members Post YouTube Videos
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What helps me is to constantly be thinking about what's going really well and what could be going even better. Stories always bubble to the surface. #SuccessTrain
Great stories live in your everyday life! You just have to recognize them.
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What a great question, Susanna. If I see "It's the real thing" I immediately think Coke even if Coke is not even mentioned. Or "Just do it" I think Nike. For my personal brand, I have no idea what words I own.
Consistency isn't about posting schedule. It is about showing up as yourself. Would people recognize your content without seeing your name?
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Just as a good photographer can make you look great, Susanna can help your content read great. #SuccessTrain
We are competing against endless advice content and valuable tips. What makes our content stand out is our unique personality and perspective. Don't hide who you are in your content.
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Sure, we have difficult winters, but the journey there is awe inspiring.
Fall in New England! Beautiful. Colorful. Crisp. Cool. Full of Joy! ❤️ #NewEngland #Boston #GermanShepherd #dogs #fall #autumn #wellbeing #WellnessJourney
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Kudos to Terry for seeking help. Really hard for me. Hard to be contributed to. #SuccessTrain
Terry Bradshaw is larger than life, and his book opens with some of the craziest shit ever. Greatly enjoyed this very honest conversation, and it's streaming now in all the pod places for your enjoyment. Listen or watch on YT.
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On Saturday, I headed into the recording studio to create an audiobook of "Cracked Open: What Happens When There's No Small Talk." 20 years of honest conversations with a wise old carpenter. I hired two actors to join me. Really fun process, but draining. #WritingCommunity
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Cracked Open: On Losing My Job "The really good news," I reassured my 5 yr old, "we'll have more time to spend together." He thought about that. "I wish Mom would've lost her job instead." Kids have a way of keeping you humble.
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Cracked Open: On Anger Russ once told me: "Anger helped me swing the hammer." For years, anger gave him energy. It helped him work. But it also hurt people he loved. He eventually learned that anger could build things or destroy them. Sometimes the same fuel powers both.
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Cracked Open: On Strengths Russ can look at a wall and tell whether it's plumb. It comes naturally. That's the trouble with our gifts. We're usually the last to see them. What's something you do effortlessly that others find difficult?
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Cracked Open: On Death Russ is in his nineties and not afraid of dying. What concerns him? His basement. All those coffee cans filled with screws. He doesn't want to leave a mess for his family. Maybe preparing for death is partly about cleaning up after ourselves.
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Several people I've interviewed have told me that their success has come from recognizing cues that came their way. #SuccessTrain
Replying to @gcjader
Probably less than 10%. A lot of the time, the job came to me. The rest came from determination and looking for opportunities that would help me get where I wanted to go.
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I agree. It's the meaning we make of our past that determines everything. My challenge has always been: how do I stay informed but not limited by my past?
I disagree. Your past needs you too. Acknowledging your past mistakes, learning from your experiences and working through trauma can help you find peace with yourself and your life. We cannot change our past, but we can change how we understand it, learn from it and allow it to influence our future. Ignoring the past doesn’t necessarily mean we’ve moved forward. Sometimes it means carrying unresolved experiences into our future. As you said in your previous post, Gary, “Growth is uncomfortable because you’re outgrowing your old self.” But to outgrow your old self, surely you first need to understand what you’re outgrowing? That’s how your future needs you… to learn, grow and become a better person than you were in the past. #AmandaRay #SelfAwareness #PersonalGrowth #EmotionalIntelligence #CriticalThinking
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