The Best Title of All: C.E.O. of Me

2 min read

I now have the best title of all: C.E.O of Me. Here's the thing: You are not your job.

You get hired to fill a job description and bring your talents to deliver success in that role.

You are not a scope of work, but so much more.

Seeing yourself as the title of your job is limiting your imagination of where you can go.

Many of you know that I spent 30 years running sales and marketing divisions for media companies with the bulk of it working for Martha Stewart. I had the good fortune of earning great titles over the years. My last media role was at Fast Company as CRO. I believed career success was directly correlated to the job titles that I held, and that’s how I defined happiness.

Like the job title, you are not your industry.

I have conversations with high achievers every week who say: ‘I’ve worked in media my entire career. I'm not sure I can do anything else.’ ‘With 20 years in marketing, that’s all I know.’ ‘I can't launch that business. I’ve only ever worked in corporate.’

This thinking around your past imposes unintentional boundaries to your highest potential. To your happiness, peace and calm. For me, if I was going to reach my potential, I needed to believe that I was more than my career or industry and to be open to thinking differently and exploring the ‘What ifs?’ Here's what I've learned for myself that I want to share with you: Job titles don’t make an impact. A job does not make a difference in this world.

The people behind them do.

Career paths in the right direction are ‘right’ only if you are happy and growing. Your skills and experience and uniqueness are highly transferable. Beyond what’s on your resume. The places you will go are not determined by your past but by the future you create.

When I finally decided to take charge of the role that was most important to me (me being me), and took ownership of creating my future, I saw clearly what I wanted. I no longer ask, ‘Is this it?’ I now lead with ‘What if?’

I now hold the best title of all.

C.E.O. of Me.

If you are feeling confused or stuck or wishing for more, be okay with letting go of your definition of success. Allow yourself to rewrite it entirely.

Give yourself permission to look at your skills, your roles, the work you’ve done and imagine where you can take them.

I gave my twins the Dr. Suess book, Oh the Places You’ll Go, when they graduated high school. It's an inspiring and timeless message to find the success that lies within, no matter the challenges. A good reminder that success lies within. Where will you go?

I want to know. Please share it with me.