Member-only story
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.
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…