Tomorrow I’ll turn 51. Thankfully, I have all the gifts I could ever want. The friendships I’ve made have not only sustained me but been blessings in my life over the last pair of decades.
But life wasn’t always this good. In my twenties I was hungry – eager to make my mark on the world. The way I defined success was I he accumulation of a ton of cool stuff.
I wanted to sell a company by 30. And I did. It took tons of work and I said “no” to tons of relationships and “play.” But the day after the sale, nothing happened. No confetti from the sky. No parade. It was an empty win.
I learned a huge lesson at 30. All that stuff wouldn’t satisfy. Only my friendships and experiences would feed my soul.
The last 21 years of my life have been incredible. I’ve traveled. I’ve made incredible friendships. We’ve lived life together. And we’ve created memories that have lasted forever.
So tomorrow, when I turn 51, I’m not looking for stuff wrapped up in shiny paper. I already have everything I could ever want.