Am I Becoming the Person I Choose to Be?

The end of the year often feels like an opportunity for valuable reflection: how we are managing our personal health (physical, mental, emotional), relationships, career… and personal development. This last one may be the most challenging. Do you know who you are supposed to be, and was this year progressive toward becoming that person?

Like any strategic goal, defining the objective is critical: how well have I created a clear picture of who I wish to become? Depending on whether you are 25, 35, 45, 55, 65… at different points in life this question will appear more or less important, particularly if you are currently trying to fulfill other more pressing goals (safety, security, love and esteem). But developing a strong self-awareness and making progress with self-actualization is never started too early.

In 2024, the attention to my progress with this objective was heightened. In the prologue to his memoirs Underestimated, Donald Thompson expressed that “… my sharing of these stories is motivated by a deep sense of responsibility to honor those who helped me along the way.” This insight hit me hard… the path is mine, but it is paved by people who have chosen to give their time, passion, knowledge, love… so much of who I am becoming must be credited to those who cared enough to help with each step.

I’m fortunate to work with one of these individuals on a daily basis, Jat Thompson. Many others have been significant influencers (won’t name them all, the list is too long and terrified to leave any off…), but in 2024 I lost someone of great value. My last blog post referenced the work of Francois Dupuy (pictured above), noted French researcher and consultant, who passed away earlier this year. Francois’ teaching inspired so many leaders to change how they approached managing important relationships (both personal and professional). No one left his classroom experience unchanged.

As I reflect on my progress this year, Francois’ influence came to focus. Over 20 years collaborating on various projects, Francois’ perspectives and ideology shaped me in many significant ways. But more so, watching Francois on his own path gave me confidence to continue my own pursuits. Not just his successes and failures, but how he approached and learned from both were of great meaning.

This last thought is a big one I’m taking with me into 2025… as we are pursuing our objective to become who we chose to be, how we do so will be an influence over those whose paths cross with ours, and have chosen to see value in learning from our efforts. What a responsibility/opportunity as part of the path…

Am I Becoming the Person I Choose to Be? was originally published in Horizon Performance on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.