A Question That Made Me Stop and Reflect
A simple question at a networking event became a perfect reminder.
“The real reward is being part of someone’s growth or even watching their growth from a distance.”
Last night, I attended a networking event at SoHo in Pittsburgh where we participated in a group exercise that allowed for some quick reflection. As I walked back to the parking garage at the end of the evening, I found myself continuing to think about the questions we chatted about.
One of the questions that immediately got my wheels turning was, "What are you proud of so far this year?"
When it was my turn to answer, I didn't hesitate, and I enthusiastically said, “My website!"
After spending months rebranding my business and bringing all the pieces together, launching my website felt like a massive accomplishment. It represented so much more than just a finished project for me…it represented growth, clarity, and a lot of work behind the scenes.
But as I continued my walk through Pittsburgh’s North Shore, something else came to mind.
While my website is definitely something I'm proud of, one of the biggest rewards of the work I do has nothing to do with websites, newsletters, content creation, or completed projects.
Those things are very satisfying, but the real reward is being part of someone’s growth or even watching their growth from a distance.
Seeing someone go from just an idea to putting that idea out into the world is the reward.
Watching them gain clarity around their message is the reward.
Seeing them move from feeling overwhelmed to having a plan is the reward.
Maybe parking in a garage that was farther away than necessary turned out to be a good thing, because it gave me a little extra time to reflect on all of this 😉
As I thought about the people I've worked with, I realized something else. Many of them probably don't see their own growth the same way I do.
They are focused on the next goal or the next project. They're looking at what still needs done rather than taking a moment to recognize how far they've already come.
So, for those of you I know, have worked with, or even those of you reading this from afar, take a few moments to be proud of where you are.
Maybe for you it’s not “I only sent out that newsletter," but it’s "Last year at this time, I wasn’t sending out that newsletter." It's easy to look at what still needs done and overlook how far you've already come.
Just like the reward of seeing my clients grow fills my heart, allow your heart to be full with how far you’ve grown too. You may be further along than you think.