a year of bettermeant
A year ago, I looked around and everywhere I saw the need for us to do better and be better. Be better humans. Do better for our communities and for our planet. Feel better and more in control of our lives, careers and happiness. Like me, many people were thinking more about meaning and purpose. We were asking questions we previously hadn’t had space for in the hurried pace of capitalism. Questions like, does what I do matter? And, do I mean something here?
I didn’t know how I would accomplish it, but I began to see my own life’s mission: to help people find their better by finding meaning and purpose in their careers and in their lives. I knew the world needed more confident, courageous and compassionate leaders across every industry and at every level. I thought that maybe, if we could make leaders better, then work would mean more. And if people did work that meant something to them, couldn’t they live better and happier lives? So one year ago, that’s what I set off to do. I didn’t announce it or advertise it, because I didn’t know exactly what “it” was. “It” was a project with a deeply meaningful mission, something worth building and discovering. “It” was an idea and a feeling and a motivating force. “It” was something I called “The Bettermeant Project.”
I researched meaning and growth and multiple psychological theories. I created toolkits and read twenty+ leadership books. I developed programming, interviewed people, took classes, got certified as an ICF coach and in Organizational Development, read whitepapers, built a website and was finally ready for my first client: a leader in search of growth and meaning. I fit that bill myself, so I went through my own program, completed the toolkit and read and reflected. For the first time in my life I was in the driver’s seat. I created a vision for my life, developed a mission, examined my values and actually lived into them for the first time. I felt unstoppable. I dug into where my gaps exist and I built systems and intention around closing them. “Wow, why didn’t I do this sooner?” I kept asking myself. The project was successful, but this was just me, so it was time to test it in the world.
I mentioned my project to three people over coffee and they all signed up, agreeing that they felt a little lost or asleep at the wheel themselves. Through a combination of coaching, training, introspection, support and accountability, they got to know themselves better. They recognized their responsibility as leaders and did the work to show up confidently and compassionately, in turn finding significant meaning in the role of ‘manager’ and ‘leader.’ They saw themselves growing in their careers and getting promotions or new roles in which they thrived. They coached their teams instead of shying away from feedback. They shared their journey with friends, loved ones and colleagues. I had calls and emails and meetings, and more clients joined our club.
Our community began to grow and while each program participant came with different goals, they all were seeking change, growth and something better. As we began working with companies to help with their teams, Bettermeant grew and evolved—and it got better and better: Our clients invited us into their homes, introduced us to their partners, confided in us and trusted us with their deepest fears. Hundreds of sessions later, with numerous graduates and multiple companies choosing us to help them to be better, it’s better than I ever could have imagined.
Bettermeant is as much a mission and a call to action for us all as it is a company. After a year of organic growth and referral-only development, it is time to share it with the world. The time never felt right because we were still learning, evolving and bettering. But I realized, this is our company ethos to the core: we’re never perfect and we’re never done. Bettermeant is about celebrating the journey of growth and so here it is in all of its wonderful imperfection – your invitation to join our Bettermeant Club. If you have ever thought about designing the life or career you want– join us. If you have ever thought of investing in yourself as a leader – join us. If you and your team or your company could come together more authentically – join us. Bettermeant isn’t about fixing anyone, it’s about unleashing the authentic strength in everyone. It’s about taking the wheel of life and loving every minute.
So, one year into taking a leap to chase a dream, betting on myself and building something that means something, this is your open invitation to join us on the journey. I want to say thank you to all of my clients, my partners, my advisors, and to all of my former teammates, leaders and supporters. Most of all, I want to thank my amazingly supportive husband – who, when I said I wanted to quit my high-paid comfortable corporate job to chase meaning and purpose said: “hell yeah.”
Join us, we’re only just getting started…
with love and gratefulness,
Sarah
