I’ve been thinking about success lately—what it really is, and who gets to define it. Maybe success isn’t the finish line, but the courage to pursue what matters to us, even without guarantees.
The path toward anything meaningful is never linear. We see headlines about overnight success and trick ourselves into believing it should be simple. It isn’t. And it’s rarely overnight.
A few reflections on this topic:
From Dream to Podium. My conversation with Mari Holden covers a lot of ground. One distinct takeaway is this: athletic greatness is layered with sacrifice, belief, tenacity, and an incredible mix of wins and losses. What gets someone from dream to Olympic podium are the same beliefs we must instill in ourselves as we pursue our dreams. A supportive mother helps, too.
Notes on Being a Man: I’ve been listening to Scott Galloway for a long time, and his new work, Notes on Being a Man, is hitting home for many. This is not a book or conversation for men only; it is a siren warning to all of us about what is happening to boys and young men. Galloway is irreverent and sometimes punchy, but it’s what we need to hear. Watch Scott on Oprah.
Here are a few solutions he suggests:
• Get out of the house. Action absorbs anxiety.
• Take risks and be willing to feel like an imposter. Don’t let rejection stop you.
• Be kind. That’s the secret to success in relationships.
• Find what you’re good at; follow your talent.
• Acknowledge your blessings—and create opportunities for others. Be of surplus value.
• Being a good dad means being good to the mother of your children.
• Life isn’t about what happens to you—it’s about how you respond to it.What Resonates: As an author, having someone review your work means the world, and it helps with those pesky algorithms. While I don’t look often, sometimes I read through my reviews to see what readers are doing with my writing. How are they interpreting my words? Often, I will read them and say to myself, ‘They took that so much farther than I did.” Meaning, I learn from my readers - often. Below is a recent Goodreads review that meant a great deal and touches on the theme of this newsletter. It’s such a treat to see the sentences I wrote resonate with someone.
A bigenerational journey through family trauma, societal conditioning, sisterhood, motherhood, and marriage, crafted with empathy and heart—all in the pursuit of connection “on the complicated truths of living.”
Two lines with resonance:
“You could have done it. You almost did it. I’m giving you an A because you wanted to do it and put in the effort. It just didn’t work this time. That’s art.”
“Hurt sticks you in a moment of time, a place of pain that fossilizes your being until there is a moment when you take a hammer to the hard shell around your heart and break it.”— Anne Mason, Goodreads
Often, our failures are what break us open and lead to our future success.
Until next time, stay curious and be well.
XO Jen
