For much of my life, when I learned something that helped me, I had to tell others how it would help them.
I became an evangelist. I’d say, “You should try this,” and push you toward my answer.
During a dark season in my late teens, I was treated for anxiety, and my life changed. I went back to school, changed my major to psychology, and talked about stress reduction.
Everywhere.
I was a campus peer counselor; I interned in the community with family services. While others made mixed tapes for friends, mine got personalized relaxation tapes. My senior project was a paper on workplace stress and its impact on the bottom line.
Since it worked for me, I knew it would work for you too.
Over time, I went from an evangelist to an expert.
I applied my ideas in business. Earned an advanced degree and postgraduate credentials. Became a counselor, business consultant, and coach. I learned frameworks, asked better questions, and got more comfortable saying, “Here’s what I know.”
There was real value in having answers. I learned a lot and helped people and companies succeed.
Now I find myself moving toward something different.
I’m less interested in telling others how to solve their problems and more interested in living my truth.
Less “Here’s what you should do.” More “Here’s what I tried.”
Less “Don’t do that.” More “Here’s where I lost my way.”
Less “Here, this is your answer.” More “Here’s what I’m beginning to understand.”
Recently, I read a conversation on aging. One person described the first half of life as being driven largely by ego and the second half more by soul. He suggested asking, “What wants to be expressed through me now?”
My first-half ego found a comfortable home in being the expert—the one others counted on.
What wants to be expressed through me now is accepting my life experience.
That may be why I’ve become so interested in memoir. The authors don’t tell us how to live. They simply share their truth.
And somehow, in the specificity of their stories, we recognize pieces of our own.
Maybe the next chapter is less about proving what I know or convincing you to do what I did.
Maybe it’s simply saying: This is what I’ve seen—what I’ve learned so far.
And whether you recognize something in it that helps is up to you.
If any part of this feels familiar, I’d love to hear your story.
Just hit reply.
I read and respond to every message.
— Mark Wigginton
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📬 MarkW@FocusingOnResults.com
🌐 www.focusingonresults.com
🔗 Connect with me on LinkedIn
P.S. If this message resonated with you, it might speak to someone else too. Forward it to a friend who’s ready for their next chapter—you never know what kind of shift a few words of encouragement can spark.
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