A Remarkable Life Story – Tess Vigeland at World Domination Summit 2013

I think it’s safe to say that deep down, we all want to live a remarkable life. One that is both rewarding on the inside, and garners respect on the outside. But what happens when our life story takes us to that place, and we’re living the dream, yet know that it’s time to move on, time to sever the ties that have served us so well, and take a brave leap into the unknown?

Tess Vigeland was at the peak of her career, and so well known as the host of Marketplace Money that people on the street would recognize her voice. But as you’ll hear in her talk at the 2013 World Domination Summit, Tess had been unhappy for a while, having become bored with the repetition of reporting on the world of finance. As much as she loved the people and position, in the end she had to go because she had too much self-respect to stay.

Have you ever been in a similar situation, when you knew it was time to jump without a net? Did it feel like you needed to close one chapter in order to being writing the next one? I’ve been feeling that way lately, and am contemplating a big leap, one that would take me across an ocean. I’m not sure when or where, or even how, but I’ve been gaining clarity on the why. (more on that in due time, once I’ve figured out a few more things and feel I’m ready to leap)

There’s a point in Tess’ story where it seems that everything is going to work out fine, a classic storybook ending, but her journey takes a turn onto a rocky, and uncertain road. To her credit, and what’s makes this talk so powerful, is her vulnerability, her facing up to self doubt and uncertainty, to admitting that she was no longer feeling remarkable.

At one point she states, “It has been terrifying, it has been awful, it has been heartbreaking.” Not the sort of thing that one usually admits to on stage, but in doing so Tess provides the audience with a stark dose of reality. Sometimes taking a leap of faith is not the rewarding experience that we hoped for, but if our desire is to lead a remarkable life, a few bumps and bruises may come our way in the process. And in the end, it’s worth it.

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