UNPACK SUCCESS: WHAT ARE YOU LIVING FOR? S4:E23

Get ready for THE TRUE NORTH COLLECTIVE℠ PODCAST: SEASON 4! With co-hosts Rachel Bellotti (she/her) and Jenell Riesner (she/her), this is a gathering of un-sugar-coated conversations celebrating the untold stories of everyday people fearlessly finding and living their true north. 

In our own search to discover and live from our TRUE NORTH, we continue to meet many interesting, courageous people from all walks of life, doing all sorts of amazing things to live life in their own unique way. Stories from all over the world. Stories with heart. Stories with grit. Stories with plot twists. Stories going untold - until now. This season, we continue to celebrate these untold stories of everyday people who are fearlessly living their true north and inspiring each of us to do the same.

In today’s episode, we have another installment of our UNPACK series where we bring on a mash-up of voices from across North America as fellow travelers with different perspectives to discuss a specific topic. Today’s episode is all about how we define success + unpacking all the aspects of this sentiment + statement + experience. We are excited to chat with TIna Ahn - a Canadian ray of sunshine + guest from earlier this year (S4|E7), Allison Forsyth - two-time Canadian Alpine Skiing Olympian, mother of 3, + all-around relatable badass, + David Jacobson (DJ) - inspiring Minneapolis-based connector, season 3 podcast guest (S3|E36), + bridge to much needed change in the world. We wrestle with externally defined success vs internally defined success, living in a box, fear-based thinking, internal pressure, avoiding “success”, the shifting definition of success, success as a mask for abuse + trauma, impact, simplicity, knowing what’s enough, co-creation, comparison, expectations, + experiencing as much life as possible. Thank you, TIna, Allison, + DJ for being so open + giving in your perspectives + truths. We appreciate you all so much. <3

 

*note: this episode includes explicit language appropriate for those ages 16+

**TRIGGER WARNER: topics of sexual assault + abuse

RESOURCES MENTIONED:

• #amplifymelanatedvoices @mrjross
• #amplifymelanatedvoices @nikholrei
• #amplifymelanatedvoices @shayla0h
• Untethered Soul by Michael A. Singer
• The Body Keeps the Score by Bessel van der Kolk
• Self-compassion Workbook by Kristin Neff + Christopher Germer
• Music from: https://www.jukedeck.com/

 

3 KEY TAKEAWAYS:

1. You are allowed to redefine success as many times as you need to in your life so that it feels like your own definition of success. There are so many external influences that tell us what success is, but it’s actually as unique as each of us. It is actually an internal process that we must revisit again + again throughout our lives to ensure that what we are living for has been of our choosing. How do you define success today?
2. Where has your need for success been at the expense of yourself or your health or your mental health or your relationships? Where has success become the scapegoat or the rationale for poor behaviors? What if success didn’t have to be in exchange for anything? What if success included the things we thought we had to sacrifice to get it? How THEN would you define success for yourself?
3. What do you do when the current path that you are told is the path you need to be on doesn't feel like your right path anymore? This is an invitation to slow down + know that there are millions of versions of success + paths to take + we are in a time where there is an opportunity to carve out new models of new paths that we haven’t always seen as a collective society. Because the more we do it differently + authentically, the more the world has permission to do it differently + authentically + evolve from a single-focused way of life that we have lived into for far too long. So, it starts with you. You can do it. You’re not alone. 

 

TIME-STAMPED SHOW NOTES:

• [1:20] Welcome, Tina!
• [1:40] Welcome, Allison! 
• [2:56] Welcome, David (aka DJ)!
• [3:56] External definitions of success
• [5:15] Success as a cringeworthy experience
• [8:40] Fear-based thinking
• [10:18] Internal pressure on self
• [11:40] Avoiding “success”
• [14:00] Being on a pedestal + never feeling like enough
• [19:00] Athletics + success
• [21:00] Western society’s need to be better + enough
• [23:55] AD: Come play with us! We have been expanding the podcast concept by finding new ways + places where YOU can be more of an active participant in the conversation of finding + living your own TRUE NORTH. The COLLECTIVE is a free monthly conversation with people from all over the world (third Thurs of every month). Our monthly workshops explore a different facet of authenticity + are held the first Thurs of every month. Check it out here!  
• [24:40] Success is a shifting definition based on the present moment
• [26:30] Who are you without the thing you think you are? 
• [33:00] Success as a mask for trauma + abuse
• [39:00] Having to prove your value + worth
• [44:20] Impact
• [46:30] Simplicity 
• [48:00] What is actually enough for me? 
• [54:40] Co-creation
• [56:30] Comparison
• [59:00] Worrying what other people think + money success
• [1:02:00] Success as growth + learning
• [1:04:30] Expectations
• [1:06:00] Experiencing as much life as possible
• [1:08:00] Inherited legacy + evolutionary shifts
• [1:15:00] Success attached to college degrees
• [1:19:00] How do you successfully live your TRUE NORTH in 1 word?

• [1:19:35] Connect with TIna via IG @tinaahn_ + Allison via IG @allisonforsyth + DJ via IG @dj_2303