Prefer to listen to this podcast? Click here
Hey, everyone! I’m back. Today, I’m excited to share my recent conversation with Dolph Goldenberg on the Successful Nonprofits Podcast. Dolph and I delved into the topic of finding joy at work, a journey that has been a significant part of my life.
Reflecting on my 25-year career as an actuary, I realized I had fallen into what I now call the “good life trap.” On paper, everything seemed perfect—financial stability, a great marriage, and professional success. However, internally, I was becoming increasingly unhappy. It’s a familiar story for many: achieving success in conventional terms but feeling trapped and unfulfilled.
So, what changed for me? The turning point came during my African safaris. As I led these epic adventures, I noticed a stark contrast between the intentionality I put into creating memorable safari experiences and the lack of it in the rest of my life. This realization prompted a personal experiment: What if I approached my entire life with the same intentionality I put into making an African safari amazing?
The Big Five Factors
In our podcast episode, I shared the “Big Five Factors” that have transformed my perspective on work, leadership, and life:
- The Benefits and Pitfalls of Work Buddies in the Workplace
I realized that the key to a more joyful life is knowing the kind of experience I genuinely want. This involves stripping away external influences and asking, “What do I honestly want my experience to be?”
- Get the Right Peeps in Your Jeep
Surrounding myself with people aligned with my mission became crucial. In nonprofit leadership, it’s about building teams that are not just skilled but passionate about the mission.
- Do the Unright Thing
Happiness can sometimes be found in doing the unexpected, deviating from the path of societal expectations. It’s about finding joy in authenticity rather than conformity.
- Pause and Take the View
Gratitude plays a significant role in embracing life’s journey. Pausing to appreciate the view amid the hustle and bustle adds an epic lens to our daily experiences.
- Embrace Your Adventure
Life, like an African safari, is full of ups, downs, highs, lows, knowns, and unknowns. Embracing the adventure, even in challenging times, is essential for a fulfilling life.
Making these changes isn’t easy. Fear of the unknown, fear of disappointing others, and the need for external validation can be formidable obstacles. I’ve been there, grappling with the Minnesota Nice people-pleasing tendency. However, taking risks, embracing the adventure, and realizing that not everyone will be pleased have empowered me in ways I never imagined.
To those who wonder if going on a safari is a prerequisite for finding joy, I say, it’s not about the safari; it’s about viewing our lives as epic adventures. As Helen Keller wisely said, “Life is either an epic adventure or it’s nothing at all.” The goal is to shift our paradigm, embracing the idea that we’re already on safari, navigating the wild terrain of our unique journeys.
Whether you need a radical change or a subtle paradigm shift, the Big Five Factors have been my compass. Choosing my experience, surrounding myself with the right people, doing the unright thing, practicing gratitude, and embracing the adventure—these principles have led me to a more epic and fulfilling life.
So, I encourage you to put a reminder on your desk or phone—a little trinket, a symbol of the epic adventure you’re on. Life is an adventure, and here’s to finding greater happiness as we navigate our own unique safaris.
About The Author
Steve Fredlund is The Safari Dude. As a professional actuary in human resources analytics, he uncovered surprising factors that enhance employee engagement, and work enjoyment; key elements for effectiveness, enhanced retention, productivity, and organizational success.
Minnesota to Rwanda, nonprofit to corporate, start-ups to Fortune 500 companies he brings to your event thirty years of leadership success. Steve’s personal safari mission is to help great leaders and their teams enjoy an epic safari by getting the right peeps in their jeeps and in the right seats.
