These words will move and inspire you
[Reading time: 3 minutes to rediscover lightness and vitality in the corporate world]
Today, I don’t want to talk to you about best practices for thinking and acting like a true Executive, asking your boss for a promotion, or getting the recognition you deserve at work.
Instead, I want to share the story of Nadine Stair, which I read this week and found deeply moving.
When asked, "If you could live your life over again, what would you change?" Nadine, at 85 years old, responded:
"If I could live my life over again, next time I would try to make more mistakes.
I wouldn’t try to be so perfect, I would relax more.
I would be more playful than I have been; in fact, I would take very few things seriously.
I would take more risks, travel more, watch more sunsets, climb more mountains, and swim in more rivers.
I would visit more places I’ve never been, eat more ice cream and fewer beans.
I would certainly have more real problems and fewer imaginary ones.
You see, I was one of those people who lived their life with seriousness and a sense of duty, hour by hour, day after day.
Sure, I had my moments, but if I could go back, I would try to have more.
Actually, I would do nothing but try to live intensely in each moment, one after another, instead of spending so many years planning my tomorrow.
I was one of those people who would never leave without a thermometer, a hot water bottle, an umbrella, and a parachute!
If I could live again, I would live more lightly.
If I could live again, I would start walking barefoot in early spring and keep going barefoot until late autumn.
I would dance more, take more merry-go-round rides, and play more with children, if I had my life to live over again.
But you see, I’m 85 years old, and I know that I’m dying."
Whether you’re aiming for a promotion, seeking greater influence, or aspiring to become C-Level, I hope that you can embark on this extraordinary journey toward success with passion, awareness, and a touch of madness.
Photo credit: StefaNikolic from Getty Images Signature
How to achieve it?
For me, the turning point was:
Scheduling a moment of reflection at the end of each week (I call it the Weekly Check-In) to understand what made me happy or stressed in the previous days and to prepare myself for the week ahead.
Deliberately including small moments of pleasure and relaxation in my demanding executive routine. For example, I enjoyed taking lunch breaks in a museum, preparing slides in a library near the office, reading a few pages of a book during my coffee break, or having breakfast with a friend before starting work.
These were moments of beauty and pleasure (even just a few minutes) that fueled my energy and ignited my enthusiasm, making every workday more fulfilling.
I felt light, free to focus on work without setting aside my little passions.
And in those moments, I felt truly alive.
I encourage you to take a few minutes this weekend to reflect on how you can start living fully today, so that one day, at 85, there will be no regrets, only extraordinary memories of your journey in the corporate world.
Until next time,
Silvia
Notes:
(1) For me, giving the corporate journey a deep meaning and living it with awareness, pleasure, and a touch of madness has always been a mission (I would even say an obsession 😅).
If you want to do the same and learn how I achieved it, I invite you to book a free 30-minute call.
During our conversation, you will clarify the type of professional journey you want to undertake and what would make it truly meaningful for you.