There was no lightning bolt.
No big promotion.
No dramatic speech that changed everything.
But there was a shift after being laid off at 55.
A quiet, subtle, internal decision.
After years of seeing people as tasks…
After years of trying to earn value by fixing, doing, and proving…
…I decided to stop living in “the box.”
To be honest, I was too old and tired and put back in "the box."
That box—the one I first saw in Leadership and Self-Deception—wasn’t just about how I saw others.
It was about how I saw myself.
As a role. A utility. A behind-the-scenes guy.
But real leadership isn’t about perfection.
It’s about connection.
So I started practicing presence.
I asked better questions.
I listened more.
I started seeing people, not problems.
And slowly, everything changed.
➡️ I built real relationships—not just alliances of convenience
➡️ I stopped waiting to be noticed—and started noticing others
➡️ I created trust that opened doors I’d been knocking on for years
Now, as I guide others into their Epic Encore Chapter, this is one of the most powerful transformations I help them make:
From proving… to connecting.
From checking boxes… to building bridges.
From invisible effort… to visible influence.
And I want that shift for you, too. Because your legacy won’t be built through effort alone.
It will be built through relationships that remember you.
Are you ready to get out of "the box" and create your legacy that lasts? Hit Reply or DM me and let's talk.
Ted
