The Wheel of Sustainable Success™ : 4 Pillars to Redefining What Success Looks & Feels Like
Shifting from Stress, Overwhelm, Burnout & Sacrifice (SOBS) to Purpose, Abundance, Wellness & Support (PAWS)
Introduction
The Covid-19 Pandemic instigated a global crisis in questioning and redefining how we work, live and play. Even before that, millions of people already suffered from high levels of burnout, mental health challenges, social isolation and existential angst. For decades, we were driven by the allure of “The American Dream” and what it took to achieve it. We have been conditioned by the unsustainable values of colonization and hypermasculine ways of being.
The current post-Covid socioeconomic climate is being dubbed the “Great Resignation” with millions closing their business or resigning from their jobs, and a high percentage (60-70%) thinking of closing their business due to negative Covid-19 impacts (75% impacted negatively) or a majority (73%) thinking of quitting their jobs and/or making a career change. (Sources: Small Business BC; US Dept of Labor)
As much as this creates huge uncertainty and upheaval in our personal and professional lives, there is a silver lining. Standards and norms for the nature of work have not been questioned since pre-WWII times. For example, is the 9-5, 5-day work week even relevant anymore? If you ask me: 40 hours a week is inhuman. 25 hours a week is reasonable and sustainable.
In the entrepreneurial space, the culture of ‘hustle’, working upwards of 60-70 hours a week, is expected. Stress, burnout and sacrifice are accepted as normal, or even glorified. Is there another way?
In the corporate space, the culture of ‘muscle’ still dominates. The more cutthroat and competitive you are, somehow you are deemed more successful or more effective. This means that you can ‘get things done’ and ‘make things happen’. Is that it?
It is lonely and exhausting at the top.
It’s time for a radical new framework that redefines what success looks and feels like. A framework truly honours all aspects of ourselves and that makes success feels as good as it looks.
This is not just something that is a “niche” topic or alternative thinking but rather the “new normal” for working and living that must be ushered in because the status quo has long been unsustainable. And we can’t afford not to change.
If you are resonating with what I’m sharing and every cell in your being is screaming “YES!” then I invite you to read on.
What is The Wheel of Sustainable Success™ (WOSS)?
• A holistic and integrated framework for Spirit-led and sustainable success in business and leadership that balances soul and strategy and that flows and fits with your natural seasons and rhythms
• Re-defines success in terms of fulfillment of soul purpose, financial abundance, personal sustainability and social impact
• Allows space and fluidity for both growth, gestation and transition, beginnings and endings
• This framework is based on the Indigenous system of health and healing, living and dying called The Medicine Wheel. Each quadrant represents a direction (North, South, East, West), corresponding four elements (Earth, Water, Air, Fire), and a pillar (Soul, Strategy, Surrender, Systems), as well as an affirmation and core principles and practices.
The 4 Pillars / The 4 Directions, Summarized
We are going to move counter-clockwise on the wheel, starting from the top (North), then to the left (West), then to the bottom (South) and finally, to the right (East) returning to the North.
Pillar # 1
North ~ Soul ~ Fire ~ “I Am Whole”
Many of us have heard the expression “True North” or “North Star”. It’s not only the default setting on a directional compass, but also a cultural term to convey the right direction or path one must embark on.
In the WOSS, the North is associated with the Soul, the element of Fire and the quality of Wholeness, hence the affirmation “I Am Whole”.
This is the most important foundation for sustainable success (and likely will have the longest description).
How many of us are ‘doing business’ from a place of being on edge, running around like a chicken with its head cut off, constantly putting out fires and putting our health and wellness last? Have you ever chosen a career path because it was the default? The ‘socially acceptable’ profession within your family or community? The thing you’re expected to do? The one that you thought would be secure, lucrative, or would bring some measure of fame or status?
Have you ever fallen ‘out of love’ with work that you once were so passionate about? We all know what that feels like in romantic relationships. It happens with our work, as well.
We are living in a time where we can no longer afford to not connect with our soul’s calling, purpose and unique expression. Millions of people suffering from addictions and mental health challenges is all the evidence we need to wake up to the reality that we are not as healthy and happy as we think we are.
The Soul Direction calls us to align with the fire of our soul purpose and scared gifts (the skills and talents we bring with us and are meant to share with the world at the time of birth). When you (re)birth and (re)build your business or leadership career from your soul calling, you are not only contributing to your personal fulfillment but also to being of great service to the world. You will be working from a place of purpose. When you are on purpose, your body of work is inspired from a Divine Source and has its own success trajectory. Instead of “making things happen”, you instead become a gardener, midwife and steward of something greater than yourself. There are myriad resources on Soul Purpose or finding one’s purpose. One of my favourite books on this subject is True Purpose by Tim Kelley.
If the idea of connecting with your soul sounds too ephemeral or metaphysical for you, start with the physical and practical. The North Pillar is also about getting back to basics and caring for your health and well-being on a physical level. If you are so busy and overwhelmed that a wholesome, nutritious diet, sufficient water intake, restful sleep are compromised, it may be time to re-prioritize. When you care for your body, you care for your soul as well, as it is the sacred vehicle for your life force.
Many of us have grown up in not-so-healthy environments, whether in the physical or psychological sense. We may be carrying or repeating these childhood patterns and dynamics well into adulthood, and also bringing the baggage into our businesses and leadership. In my personal experience and in my professional experience supporting dozens of clients over the past 5 years, in order to fully step into your soul purpose, it is necessary to heal past conditioning and trauma no matter how small or big or longstanding it is. It has also been my experience that healing can start at any level, from the physical to emotional to the energetic to the spiritual. Your mind-body-spirit will communicate with you where to start. Some of us have obvious physical symptoms and ailments, and others have deep and profound soul-level disturbances. Regardless of where it speaks the loudest to you, I’ve found that working with optimizing the nervous system to be key in activating and supporting healing at all levels (as, of course, they are interconnected).
Ultimately, the North Pillar is about taking a seat in the centre of your Soul and claiming your sovereignty as an Incarnated Being who is in Right Relationship with their Creator, however you choose to call God, the Divine, or Spirit, or Universal Intelligence or Life Force. It is only from this solid foundation that seeds of true success can be planted and sustained.
Pillar # 2
West ~ Strategy ~ Water ~ “I Am Wealthy”
From the North direction of the Soul, we move to the West which stands on the pillar ofStrategy carried by the Water element which brings Wealth.
From the Soul, we birth a (re)new(ed) vision or a seed of an idea. But a vision must drop from the divine inspiration and take on physical, three-dimensional form in order for it to truly express itself and impact the world. The West is about balancing the flow of creative ideas with the aligned strategy to bring them into form. Water is the element for flow and creativity. Developing a direction, structure and container (a.k.a strategy) for your soul’s purpose to take the shape of a business venture or a non-traditional career path is the essential task of this Pillar.
I believe creating wealth in all forms is our birthright as visionary leaders, fearless founders, social entrepreneurs and radical changemakers. The etymology of the word “wealth” comes from “weal” which means “wound”. I believe our wealth comes from us healing our deepest wounds and transforming them into a beautiful alchemy of blessings to gift to the world. We give these gifts and receive abundance in return.
This Direction calls us to be channels of creativity and pay attention to the currencies of the time. Money still matters in our day and age, but it’s not just about “mentalizing” your money mindset. Going beyond affirmations, it about shifting your frequency to the vibration of abundance, then translating it to authentic sales and marketing that will truly resonate with your market. Learning and adopting the right tools and strategies for business planning weekly, monthly and annually falls under this Pillar as nothing happens without structure and consistency.
Pillar # 3
South ~ Support & Systems ~ Earth ~ “I Am Well-Supported”
If there is one piece of advice that I could give to anyone who is embarking on a new venture or a career re-invention, it would be: Don’t do it alone.
Sadly, many of us still operate from the Lone Wolf Syndrome.
Lonely at the top? It doesn’t have to be.
The South Direction is about Support & Systems, grounded in the Earth element. In the most straightforward manner, this Pillar is about ensuring that our soul’s purpose and strategies have support so that they can take root, begin to bloom, grow taller and bigger, and can weather any unexpected challenges and adversities.
When we think of support, it usually brings to mind having human resource help ~ perhaps a team of suppliers, collaborators, contractors or employees. I encourage you to think of ‘support’ as holistically as possible, which can include:
o Space (physical location) and time
o Financial (private funding, loans, in-kind donations, etc.)
o Operational structures and systems (e.g. SOPs)
o Social capital (family, friends, community, social media followers)
o Emotional or Spiritual (nature, animals, prayer, meditation etc.)
In the beginning of your quest for success, it can seem easier to rely on yourself or a few close ones along for the journey. Over time, you may find that as the more you grow, the more support you will require. You may have grown competent in many areas of your business or leadership career, such as your ability to perform and achieve. As you deepen and mature, you may learn to stretch other unexpected muscles, such as expand your capacity to receive support.
Pillar # 4
East ~ Surrender ~ Air ~ “I Am Well-Loved”
Now, we have come full-circle to the East Direction which is admittedly my favourite, because since when have I come across a success framework that includes love? Never in my life, which is why I’ve created one! Air is the lightest element. When we surrender to our identity as Beloved, and include Love in our success plan, we can have success that is truly sustainable.
How many people are driven by the allure of fame and fortune, success and status, only to come up empty-handed and broken-hearted when it comes to what truly matters, which is loving and being loved?
This is why I have envisioned and birthed your sustainable success sanctuary … designed for leaders, founders, entrepreneurs, visionaries, changemakers, seekers, healers, coaches, creatives, rebel rousers, out-of-the-box thinkers who have wild spirits, giant hearts, epic dreams and are up to big things in the world … and who also silently feel alone, isolated, and even orphaned and exiled.
All the external markers of “success” are meaningless if you don’t have soulful relationships that nourish your heart. Make time for those.
If you had told me two decade ago that the journey of creating success would involve deepening one’s capacity to love, I would not have believed it. After the two more masculine pillars of strategy, systems and support, this Direction brings us back to the heart and soul of why we strive for success in the first place.
It is for our families, friends, communities and to make a contribution. It is for our legacy. Let your legacy be about not just what you have accomplished but also about how well you loved and are Beloved. Whose lives did you touch? How will you be remembered? A great exercise to get in touch with this principle is to write your obituary. Then go about your life living your legacy!
Download the Wheel of Sustainable Success™ Framework for FREE on my website:
Join the WOSS Live Workshop!
Join a diverse and inspiring community of heart-centred and high-achieving leaders, founders, entrepreneurs & executives for a rare, one-time 1-Day Workshop & Daytreat during the intentional pause (Canadian National Holiday of Remembrance Day) on November 11, 2021.
Designed as a business/career retreat that can be done from the comfort of your home (with an optional in-person activity), it provides a balance of:
~ workshop-style teaching and training;
~ a connection-rich mastermind process to share your celebrations and challenges from the past year and/or strategize the year ahead;
~ a delightfully fun and meaningful in-person high-tea networking (optional)
~ a nourishing dreamwork circle to discover how to tap into your creative and intuitive wisdom to guide key business/career decisions
For More Information & To Register on Eventbrite:
http://wheelofsuccessworkshop.eventbrite.ca
About the Creator-Facilitator & Your Humble Guide :
Rosalyn C. RainDancer, Success Coach to BIPOC Entrepeneurs & Executives (+ Allies)
Hi, I’m Rosalyn!
I was born and raised in what I like to call the ‘Hawaii’ of Asia, in a metropolitan city surrounded by a cluster of Islands in South East Asia. Growing up in the Philippines in a family of Chinese immigrant entrepreneurs, I inherited the old-fashioned values of strong work ethic, ironclad resilience, and an indomitable spirit of overcoming anything that could stand in the way of achieving success. One of the blessings of my background is growing up bicultural and multifaith. In 2015, I was initiated into the Qu’echuan people’s (Peru) lineage as a mesa (medicine) carrier. I am truly honoured and humbled to walk with a global network of Shamanic Medicine practitioners who are committed to their personal healing, first and foremost, then to catalyzing transformation in their families, workplaces and communities.
I started my first business when I was 16 years old when I taught myself how to make websites when the Internet just started to become accessible to the public. I used the money I earned making websites to pay for my university education. My 20-year, non-traditional entrepreneurial journey has taken me to the heights of pioneering innovative, game-changing projects and ventures and having the external markers of success (the money, the corner office, the high-society peers, etc.). I've also been shaped and humbled by The School of Hard Knocks that brought me to depths of abysmal failures that cost me time, money and relationships. I know what it's like to make heart-breaking and gut-wrenching decisions that test your values and character. My journey has taught me that true success is not about the destination but who you become in the process.
Instead of impressing you with my achievements, I would rather get real with you about my mistakes, failures and heartache, because I’ve been there. My experience has led me to stand firmly in the belief that conscious leadership and personal healing is the foundation for sustainable success in business and in life, and that entrepreneurship is the most powerful vehicle for change in the world today.
My current offerings are a hybrid of my 15+ years experience in marketing and 10+ years in coaching and transformational events. I empower BIPOC and allied leaders, founders, executives and entrepreneurs to align with their authentic leadership in order to start or grow the business or career of their dreams along with a lifestyle that they love. Integrating growth and healing of the mind, body and spirit along with some of the best strategic tools and frameworks for success, my work is deeply influenced by the healing wisdom of Mother Nature.
Whatever challenge or problem you’re experiencing in your business or career, I get it. My specialty is guiding and supporting people undergoing periods of birth, growth and death transition by introducing tools, training and strategies to navigate uncertainty with clarity, confidence, and resilience.
So, I invite you to pull up a chair and have a chat with me about your business, career or project. I’m here so that you don’t have to do it alone.
Visit www.raindancerhome.com for more information + connect with me.