We Need The Whole You

Yesterday I had a sales call about a possible event for next year.

Like I often do, I shared parts of my story, from West Point to the NFL.

And most importantly, the breakdown that led me into the inner growth I now bring to the stage.

That’s when the conversation took an unexpected turn.

The VP I was speaking with leaned in and shared something honest.

She said that while she was grateful for her job and the work she gets to do, deep down it doesn’t feel like the whole story.

Then she added almost as a disclaimer, “But I’m too old to start fresh.”

We spent the next 30 minutes exploring that story.

Where does it come from, the fear hiding behind it, and most importantly...is it true?

By the end, something in her had shifted.

I got off the call excited about the possibility of speaking with her organization next year, but even more excited about what might be ahead for her.

Because here’s what I believe more than anything.

The quiet longings inside us are not distractions to be managed or whispers to be ignored.

They are the most honest part of us, calling us toward a life that feels whole.

Most people spend their days silencing those longings with stories about why it is too late or too risky or too selfish.

And in doing so, they trade aliveness for comfort.

But the cost of comfort is that the best of us never makes it out into the world.

What if instead we gave those longings a seat at the table? What if we treated them as the compass they really are?

Even the smallest step in their direction carries more power than a lifetime of playing it safe.

So the real question is not about age or timing.

The real question is whether you will keep telling yourself the story that keeps you small, or finally listen to the voice that has been waiting to be heard.

Because when you do, you not only find the life that is meant for you.

You give others permission to find theirs too.

As always, I'm rooting for you. We're in this together.
​
-Caleb

P.S. If you know someone who might resonate with it, feel free to pass it along!