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Living According to Your Own Compass

You don’t have to follow anyone else’s blueprint. You get to create your own life, a life that reflects exactly who you are.

The Good Men Project
Change Becomes You
5 min readJan 13, 2025

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Photo credit: iStock

By Mike Kitko

Eight years ago, I hit the reset button on my life. For 43 years, I followed an inauthentic path designed for me by others. I looked around, and instead of seeing a reflection of who I truly was, I saw someone struggling to fit into a mold that wasn’t mine. My choices and actions had been shaped by what others told me was “success.”

Deep down, I knew something was missing. I was struggling in every aspect of my life.

Realizing the Blueprint Wasn’t Mine

I tried to fit into a blueprint that just didn’t feel right. My career in corporate America was a perfect example. Every organization I joined, I eventually found myself at the head of the table. But I wasn’t meant to be just another employee. I was born to create, to lead, to build something uniquely mine.

Growing up, I inherited a blue-collar mentality from my father, a union steelworker. Hard work was valued above all else. But I saw family members criticize those who had created wealth and freedom for themselves. They believed that success made people arrogant…

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Change Becomes You
Change Becomes You

Published in Change Becomes You

Life advice that will (actually) change your life. Curated stories from The Good Men Project.

The Good Men Project
The Good Men Project

Written by The Good Men Project

We're having a conversation about the changing roles of men in the 21st century. Main site is https://goodmenproject.com Email us info@goodmenproject.com

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