“Watch your thoughts, they become your words;
watch your words, they become your actions;
watch your actions, they become your habits;
watch your habits, they become your character;
watch your character, it becomes your destiny.”
―
I love the conversations that result from good questions. I have been asking myself:
• How do I want to use my time?
• With whom do I want to spend/invest my time?
• What are my contributions at this time in my life?
I benefit when I ask these same questions of other people and listen to their thinking. Sometimes it happens with a new acquaintance. In the asking and reflecting and listening — the jumble of my own thoughts frequently becomes clearer. With clarity, I can turn thoughts into action. With action, I feel momentum, and movement out of the times that I feel in limbo — like a ship between two shores.
I would like to share some of the conversations I have been having in hopes that when someone else shares their personal discoveries it will be helpful to you, as well.
My colleague, Ethan Karp, CEO of Magnet, introduced me to his wife Michelle. He knew that we would find much to discuss and had much in common. He was right. Michelle Karp is a bright, accomplished woman who is also seeking meaning in life and her roles as parent, spouse, and in her career. Michelle shared with me what questions she has been exploring and what activities she engaged in to find the path that best suits her strengths. I asked her to put her transition story into the written word. Let me introduce you to Michelle:
“I’ve reinvented myself a few times in my career. I think of my professional path as a pendulum slowly swinging back and forth, inching towards a balanced center. The two ends for me are an analytical, logical mind on one side, and a big, compassionate heart for all people on the other side.
“I’ve gone from the physical sciences (BS in chemistry) to education (Masters degree in education, teaching in Boston Public Schools); to Business (MBA , consulting at McKinsey) to organizational culture & people development (manager of development at McKinsey; COO at a private firm)
“In this chapter of my life, I’m putting together everything I’ve learned along the way as an executive coach.
“None of the things I tried had the exact balance I was looking for, but I learned a bit more about myself at every step. Deciding what to do next after my most recent job as a COO was a turning point. I gave myself the space and time to be thoughtful about what would make me happy, in ways that I’d never managed to do in the fast bustle of working and family life. I realized that at the end of the day, the work I wanted to do was to help people lead joyful, contented, satisfying lives.
“I wanted to share that process of discovery with others. We go through our life pursuing ideals, goals, or the next thing on our to-do list. We don’t typically spend time digging into why we do what we do. What’s driving us? What are we running towards (or away from)? What are we afraid to stand and face?
“So now, as a coach, I help people explore their inner lives and open up to new choices. We do this by spending time listening to the sensations, voices, and wisdom in your body in addition to the ones you’re probably already hearing in your head.
• What are you feeling, exactly?
• What’s that feeling driving you to do?
• Is that the choice you want to make?
• How might you proceed?
“I didn’t think I was “stuck” before. I was successful professionally and personally, and figured the things I worried about were just normal features of a busy, modern life. I had put myself into boxes of who I could and couldn’t be, what I could or couldn’t do, without realizing I was in those boxes.
“I was not entrepreneurial, but I was caring. I wasn’t artistic, but I was great at analytics. I was a busy working mom, but not the mom who had time to volunteer at my kids’ Field Day.
I didn’t have to be or not be any of those things in particular, there are so many more choices of what I can do or be than I realized.
“So that’s what I’d like to share with you now. I’ll invite you to look into your dreams or your stumbling blocks and find out what’s really there. Listen to your intuition and what your body is trying to tell you. Learn about who you can actually be or not be, if you decide that’s what you want.”
— Michelle Karp 2024
As Michelle shared the many paths to her transformation, she also shared the tools and techniques she has learned to coach. She coached me with great skill. It was a real gift to receive fresh feedback from someone who was working from first impressions. I liked who she was seeing, and it reinforced the way I want to be in the world. I have found a new ‘shadow consulting’ buddy and learner-friend.
If you would like to engage with Michelle, you can find her at michellekarp@mkarpconsulting.com
What’s your story?
Leslie
“One of the secrets of life
is to make stepping stones out of stumbling blocks.”
— Jack Penn
Recent Comments