The Quiet Wisdom of Preparing for the Next Season

"She was no longer who she used to be, and she wasn't yet whoever she was becoming." -Ann Napolitano, Hello Beautiful

Often in coaching, there are patterns you notice in conversations. As I’ve been meeting with potential candidates for LEAP Academy, two of those conversations really stood out to me.

These women are young for the career they’ve created. They are in completely different roles and industries. Both are remarkably successful for their age. Both have young children. Both are leading growing teams. By all accounts, life right now is win-win.

Yet, they find themselves peering ahead to the next chapter. They long to continue in this career that they love, this work that is so rewarding to them. And their hearts are demanding they build a life of intention. One that honors eulogy values. To become the kind of human being, the kind of mother, the kind of community member and citizen they long to be. And keep this career.

What struck me wasn't their ambition. I meet ambitious people every day.

It was their foresight.

They weren't reacting to burnout. They weren't trying to recover from a marriage in trouble or years of neglecting themselves. They are looking ahead and asking, Who do I need to become for the life I'm building?

There is a quiet wisdom in preparing for a season before it arrives.

My mentor, Peter Koestenbaum, called this The Inner Side of Greatness—the willingness to develop the inner capacity required to carry the responsibilities we choose. Not after life forces us to, but while we still have the freedom to choose intentionally.

This is the toil of leadership. A willingness to take responsibility for outcomes much, much greater than you while not letting go of the values, the enduring vision you have for your life.