From Purpose to Legacy: Embrace Your Awakening...
We've journeyed through Discovery, Discomfort, Dedication, and Synchronicity together. Now, it's time for the final chapter of INTENTION: Unlocking the Lifeforce Inside High-Performing Entrepreneurs titled Awakening.
This chapter delves into the profound realization that true success transcends personal achievements. It's about aligning your enterprise with your core values, stepping back to empower others, and envisioning the impact you wish to leave on your family, community, and industry.
"Awakening is not an endpoint; it is the whole point for lifelong growth and contribution.”
Awakening invites you to reflect on questions like:
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What is the next chapter of my journey?
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What impact do I want to create in my family, community, and industry?
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How can I intentionally shape my legacy to reflect my values?
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What strategic decisions will allow my enterprise to thrive while I focus on growth, contribution, and renewal?
As we gear up for the soft release of INTENTION at the 2025 Bigelow Forum, we're reminded of the Forum's mission: to foster a learning community where Entrepreneur Owner-Managers share experiences to build and unlock enterprise value. This gathering is the perfect setting to introduce INTENTION...a book that encapsulates the essence of intentional leadership and purposeful living.
Get a sneak peek at the introduction to Chapter Four: Awakening below.
Chapter Four: Awakening
“I learned how incredibly insignificant each one of us is in the whole realm of things. I learned that the very best each of us can possibly do in our lives is to be true; to ourselves first and then to be as positive, as candid, as generous, and as demanding as we can to others within the tiny scope of our existence. The enormity of our ignorance is humbling. The immensity of nature is awesome and inspirational. There is something very precious in dealing with the quick and certain victories and defeats of sailing a small boat alone within the orb of such a humbling awareness.”
—Dodge Morgan, entrepreneur and adventuring sailor upon returning from his
record solo nonstop circumnavigation in his Ted Hood designed American Promise
Awakening is the ultimate destination of every successful entrepreneurial journey, right? It is the moment when everything clicks: efforts, struggles, and triumphs coalesce into a deeper understanding of self, purpose, and potential. Awakening is about more than achieving goals; it is about stepping into the role of creator, innovator, and leader.
Today’s entrepreneurs face a new challenge: we have historically unparalleled alternatives for living a long, meaningful, and productive life, yet most of us are unprepared for the challenge. In fact, we have so many options, we can become so baffled and even paralyzed in the status quo that Barry Schwartz named that phenomenon “the paradox of choice”.
We seem more prepared for the first half of life, when we have a structured progression from one type of schooling to another, followed by careers. Schopenhauer wrote that life becomes more and more unconscious the nearer it approaches the point at which all consciousness ceases. As the years pass, our consciousness of what goes on around us dwindles, and the daily workings of life hurry by without making any impression upon us, just as none is made even by a magnificent work of art seen for the thousandth time. Our attention, our focus, our consciousness becomes so rubbed out and blunted by being so armored up with scar tissue, for many, life feels like we are on autopilot.
This chapter examines how entrepreneurs can integrate lessons from Discovery, Discomfort, Dedication, and Synchronicity to create lasting impact.
On a psychological level, awakening ties closely to Maslow’s concept of self-actualization—the realization of your fullest potential, not just as an entrepreneur but as a human being. It’s the realization that your work doesn’t just serve your goals but uplifts and inspires others, transforming lives, families, and communities along the way.
On a strategic level, awakening involves rethinking your role in the enterprise. Perhaps it’s time to scale back day-to-day involvement, build a stronger leadership team, or even consider a strategic exit. These decisions aren’t about stepping away but stepping up—to a broader, more intentional perspective where you focus on the impact you want to leave behind. This phase also requires balancing the personal and professional, ensuring that your business serves not just your goals but your life as a whole.
Awakening challenges you to ask:
• What is the next chapter of my journey?
• What impact do I want to create in my family, community, and industry?
• How can I intentionally shape my legacy to reflect my values?
• What strategic decisions will allow my enterprise to thrive while I focus on growth, contribution, and renewal?
Awakening is the culmination of your work and the beginning of something even greater. It invites you to live with deeper intention and clarity, embracing the opportunities that come from a lifetime of effort, resilience, and deliberate action. This is where the personal and professional converge in ways that create not just success but significance.
Awakening is not an endpoint; it is the whole point for lifelong growth and contribution.
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