2018 was Anchor Advisor’s best financial year ever.

We were killing it. I sold a ton of consulting, I had a solid team to help me deliver it, and the profits were excellent.

AND, I was stressed out.

I saw myself as the source of all the business. I was directing traffic for my whole team. It was vital for me to be efficient, so I didn’t always communicate super clearly, but when someone didn’t do the work the way it looked in my head, I got so frustrated.

On top of that, I was getting consistent feedback at home that I was “grumpy.” Well, you’d be grumpy too if you had all this work on your shoulders and incompetence around you!

This was not sustainable for me mentally, physically, or relationally!

Fast forward 5 years

I’ve shifted my business since then. I’m now serving more clients than I did before, with fewer staff. The 2022 sales weren’t as high as 2018 – but the profit margin is better.

And no one at home thinks I’m grouchy. (Including me!)

But I changed more than the business model, I changed my way of being as a leader.

Changing the story

When I thought pretended it was all about me, about how hard I was working, and all that I was sacrificing, I got to take credit for every win (and the blame for every loss). When it’s all about me, I get to be a hero (or a goat)!

Over time I’ve chosen to be more aware of all the help I enjoy, and all the people cheering for me. My team is amazing (many of them are the same as the “incompetent” team I had before). My wife and family pick up so much slack for me. I see all the ways that they are pulling for me and contributing to my success.

I’m not the hero anymore, and the result has been so much gratitude!

When there’s a big win, I see all the help I’ve gotten, and everyone celebrating with me, and instead of feeling alone, I’m filled with gratitude and connection.

What could you change about the way you are being that might transform those around you from chumps to champs and your experience from frustration and grumpiness to gratitude and joy?