Defining the leader you want to become, not just who you are

Executive overview

Most leaders have become effective in ways that no longer serve them or their people. The skills that built early success — being clever, articulate, results-driven — stop working at a certain level.

The fix is simple: imagine the end of your life. What do you want said about you? That answer reveals your purpose, and purpose is what you build your strengths on top of.

The leader you need to become is found by working backwards from the end of your life, not forwards from your current skills.

The gap between current identity and desired legacy

• Being smart and articulate can mask a deeper lack of purpose
• Outward success (business, family, money) can coexist with feeling stuck and miserable
• Skills that got you here won't get you to the next level — Marshall Goldsmith's core insight
• Anger, frustration, and failure often signal a mismatch between identity and purpose

The end-of-life exercise

• Imagine a successful life: your people are gathered, remembering you — what do you want them to say?
• The answer surfaces what actually matters to you, beneath your skills and achievements
• For many leaders, the answer centres on generosity, contribution, and making a difference for others
• That answer is your purpose — not a strategy, a direction for who you're becoming

Integrating purpose with your existing strengths

• Your current strengths (planning, coaching, relationship-building) remain valuable
• Purpose doesn't replace strengths — it gives them direction and meaning
• Once purpose is found, articulated, and claimed, you can realign your life around it
• Practical changes follow: career shifts, business decisions, how you show up with others