The Moment I Realized I Needed to Change My WHO


The other day Brian Kurtz sent an email outlining the distinction between "WHAT do you want to be when you grow up" and "WHO do you want to be when you grow up".


On Sunday I shared my take on WHAT vs. WHO.


I didn't realize it at the time, but knowing WHO I wanted to be made me a better leader, father and husband.


From the WHAT perspective, I was a successful network manager working in a brand new industry.


I couldn't wait to go to work every day.


From the WHO perspective, I was a terrible father and husband.


I was MIA from family life because I was always working.


After I drove my family off a 100' cliff because I was exhausted, I took a hard look at my life.


I had to change my WHO.


I wanted to be the father who coached their kids sports teams.


I wanted to volunteer at their school.


I wanted to drive on field trips.


I wanted to be a great husband.


I wanted to be the father and husband who was always there for his family.


Quitting my job let me be that person.


Ready for another coincidence related to WHAT vs. WHO you want to be?


In the
Mastermind Book Club this month, we're reading Your Next Five Moves: Master the Art of Business Strategy by Patrick Bet-David.

Guess what move #1 is?

"WHO do you want to be?"

I'm not kidding.

Once you know WHO you want to be, you design your business and your life so you can be that person.

Our next meeting of the Mastermind Book Club is Thursday September 26th at 11:30 AM Pacific/2:30 PM Eastern time.

We encourage you to read the book but if you don't have time, Tom Ruwitch and I read the book for you.

We have a lively discussion during our virtual meeting.

I hope you can join us.

>>>
Check out the Mastermind Book Club

Ted

Every month, Tom Ruwitch and I will choose a great business book for the group.

Tom and I will read the book. You can read it, too – but only IF YOU WANT TO.

You are receiving this message because you subscribed to our newsletter, attended a webinar or online course or purchased Ultimate Guide to LinkedIn for Business or Ultimate Guide to Twitter for Business from Ted Prodromou. If you no longer want to receive these messages, ​click Unsubscribe at the bottom of this message

Ted Prodromou

Join 60,000+ seasoned professionals who are done with the corporate world. Epic Encore is an almost daily newsletter with inspirational stories from leading experts. Your Epic Encore is about turning your lifetime experiences into the cornerstone of the rest of your life. It represents your audacious leap into entrepreneurship, fueled by the wisdom and tenacity you've garnered in your successful career. This isn't about playing catch-up in business and building a 7-figure business. It's about forging a unique path, using your distinct perspective, seasoned judgment, and invaluable insights that can only come from years of life experience.

Read more from Ted Prodromou
cyber Monday

If your inbox looked anything like mine yesterday, you probably waded through about 247 "LAST CHANCE!" emails before your morning coffee. And now? Poof. The clock struck midnight, and those "once-in-a-lifetime" deals vanished like Cinderella's carriage. So here's my question for you: Did you participate in Black Friday and Cyber Monday as a consumer? Were you satisfied with your "investment"? Did you participate as a seller? The numbers are staggering. Consumers spent $10.8 billion online on...

You matter

Tomorrow is Thanksgiving, and I've been thinking about what I'm most grateful for this year. It's not the business wins or the revenue numbers. It's you. The professionals who've spent 30, 40, even 50 years building companies, leading teams, and solving problems that most people will never understand. The leaders who've made the tough calls, weathered the storms, and carried the weight of responsibility that comes with senior leadership. The professionals who've mentored countless people,...

person holding white and black i am a good day card

As we approach Thanksgiving, I've been wrestling with what gratitude looks like when life hits you with a sledgehammer. I'll be honest, 2025 has tested me in ways I never anticipated. In just six weeks, we lost three incredible matriarchs of our family. Aunt Magda at 98, Aunt Dee at 96, and Cousin Marina at only 78. These weren't just relatives - they were forces of nature. Powerful, opinionated women who spoke their minds when that wasn't always welcome. They blazed trails, shaped...