SUCCESS – ON YOUR TERMS written by Meg McKeen, Adjunct Advisors
How do you define success? It’ s so very personal- as unique as each of us- as how we define success is deeply rooted in our own experiences.
Consider with me the origin of your own definition of success: Perhaps it’ s a job title that’ s born from your own desire to prove to others- or yourself- that you can achieve. Perhaps success is a dollar amount derived from a place of fear or scarcity- of not having what you, or those you care about or for- need. Perhaps you’ ve never really considered it- but you have a deep-down belief that more is always the answer to the question“ What is success?”.
As a kid growing up in the 80s, success for me was defined by watching my dad, up before the sun, straightening his tie in the mirror before he’ d head out in his pickup truck for a long day of sales calls. His stories from this time are wild- business owners who wouldn’ t take his meeting until his seventh try, and others who shamed him for the make of truck he drove and yelled at him as he backed out of their office.
His persistence eventually paid off and those sales started to come. As a provider at heart, he did just that.
Years later, when my own career began in the insurance industry- different, yet similar, to the one modeled for me- I set upon my path.
Strive. Achieve. Endure. More. And so I did these things.
But a series of my own lived experiences- a divorce, a decision to be child-free, a bout of burnout and a stumble into entrepreneurship – changed my view of myself in the world.
18 KANSAS INSURANCE AGENT & BROKER