Redefining Success: The Leadership Endurance Move You Might Be Avoiding
What if the key to career endurance isn’t about doing more—but about redefining what success looks like right now?
That’s exactly where we started in this week’s May Leadership Endurance Round Table. We kicked off talking about clarity—specifically, what truly matters in this season of life and work. The conversation quickly shifted from chasing the next promotion to being fully present with young children. From “what’s next” to “what’s enough.”
For high achievers, that’s not always an easy shift. The internal pressure to keep going, growing, and proving ourselves doesn’t turn off easily—even when our life tells us it’s time to slow down.
But that’s where endurance begins.
🧭 Four Practices to Lead for the Long Game
Here are the four practices we explored to help leaders build a more sustainable definition of success:
Redefine what success means—right now.
Success in this season may look different than it did 5 years ago. That’s not a failure—it’s wisdom. I shared a reflective mapping tool to visualize this shift.
Find clarity with honest assessment.
Using tools like the Wheel of Life and Wheel of Work, help leaders identify which areas are thriving—and which ones are quietly draining their energy.
Set and manage boundaries.
Not just with others—but with ourselves. Especially around outdated expectations that tell us we have to keep pushing, even when the cost is too high.
Schedule time to think.
Intentional leadership doesn’t happen in the margins. It happens when we protect white space for reflection, recalibration, and strategy. If it’s not on your calendar, it’s not happening.
🌿 When Did Success Get So Loud Again?
Several conversations this week circled back to a similar thread: What is work supposed to look like? What are we supposed to want?
During the pandemic, many people reimagined what a successful life could feel like. We slowed down. We prioritized health, flexibility, and presence.
But as life picked back up, the old patterns crept back in. The pace. The pressure. The productivity obsession.
Here’s the truth:
You have the power to define success for yourself—right now, in this season of life.
And if that definition calls for a slower pace, more family time, or space to breathe... that’s not a weakness. That’s strategy.
Your career will span decades. There will be seasons to sprint. There will be moments to chase big wins. But…
Sprinting all the time is not a leadership endurance strategy.
🧘🏻♀️ This Weekend, Choose Reflection Over Reaction
As the U.S. heads into a long holiday weekend, I hope you take time to rest—and to reflect on what success means for you right now.
Need a place to start?
Try the Success Reflections Tool we talked about in our Round Table
Or pick up one of my books on Amazon for ideas on how to lead yourself with more clarity and capacity
And if you’re ready for personalized support, take a look at the refreshed offerings under the Endurance Canopy
You don’t have to do this alone. Let’s build your leadership for the long game.