This month marks a personal milestone for me: 25 years clean and sober. It\u2019s not something I usually talk about in professional spaces, but when I look at the two photos that accompany this article, one taken at the very beginning of my recovery and one taken recently, I\u2019m reminded of how far a person can travel, not just in years, but in who they become. It felt right to share it here, partly because my recovery has shaped who I am as a leader, and partly because I know many people in our business community carry stories that rarely get told.<\/p>\n
What recovery taught me, above all else, is that staying is harder, and more valuable, than starting. Anyone can show up on the good days. The real work is in staying steady when things get uncertain: when pressures rise, when teams wobble, when you\u2019re not sure what comes next. That practice; daily, ordinary, unglamorous, has shaped how I lead.<\/p>\n
I\u2019ve also learned that the most important things happen on the margins, not in the spotlight. My most formative experiences didn\u2019t come from job titles, promotions or awards; they came from working in tough environments, from being alongside people at their lowest, from rebuilding when things fell apart. Those moments taught me that leadership isn\u2019t about status; it\u2019s about service, presence, and being someone people can trust.<\/p>\n
Recovery also taught me the value of vulnerability with boundaries. You don\u2019t need to spill your whole story to be real. But honesty builds trust. People don\u2019t follow leaders who are perfect; they follow leaders who are human.<\/p>\n
And more than anything, I\u2019ve learned that purpose doesn\u2019t have to be profound. At a recent networking event, someone asked me, \u201cWhat\u2019s your why?\u201d I used to treat that like a test. Now the answer feels simple: to serve, to add value, and to make things a little better than I found them.<\/p>\n
Finally, recovery showed me that people thrive when they feel safe. Honesty, compassion, and psychological safety aren\u2019t soft skills, they\u2019re performance drivers. Healthy cultures grow from humanity, not pressure.<\/p>\n
So yes, 25 years clean is something I\u2019m grateful for. But more than anything, it\u2019s taught me how powerful it is when people stay; with themselves, with each other, and with the work that matters.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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