At the end of every year, I take time to reflect on the three most significant lessons of the year. My intention is to internalize those lessons and carry them into the next year. Here are the most important things I learned in 2022. I hope one or more of them speak to you.

Lesson 1: Growth forces change

2022 was a year of record growth for Converge Coaching. The number of leaders we helped in 2022 quadrupled compared to 2021. Over 2400 leaders—that by God’s grace—we were able to directly influence!

As our company has grown incrementally over the years, I knew I needed to change how I lead. My team knew I needed to change how I lead, what I focused on, where my energy went. But 2022 forced the issue. Now . . . it’s either change or drown!

I wonder how many leaders know somewhere in their mind and heart that they need to adjust the way they’re leading but haven’t had the catalyst of either significant growth or significant decline to force the issue? Rob Ketterling says: “Change before you have to!”

Lesson 2: Joy and pain often travel alongside each other

As I’ve outlined above, 2022 was a banner year for the ministry. We’re happy about that. We’ve expanded our team and added more responsibility to team members. We’re grateful for that. I have four granddaughters now! I’m ecstatic about that!

But right alongside all this joy, we experienced significant loss. Laura and I lost one of our two best friends in 2022 to cancer. A dear friend for forty years. I can’t adequately describe the sense of loss, grief, and pain over her passing. She was dependable, safe, wise, and hilarious. We miss her. So . . . right beside the many joys of 2022 . . . pain exists.

I think we need to get comfortable with this idea: It’s possible to experience two divergent emotions simultaneously. With the thought that life is never all good nor all bad. Maybe life is good and bad traveling along together. Rejoice when things go well. Grieve when they don’t.

Lesson 3: The world is big enough for all of us to succeed

I hate to admit this, but early on in our company’s existence, I struggled when other organizations that do what Converge Coaching does were experiencing smashing success. It was this gnawing feeling that if they succeeded, we couldn’t.

I think the roots of this false notion were fear and a scarcity mentality:” If they are succeeding, how can I?” You know, the misguided belief that there’s not enough success to go around. Can you relate to this?

I’ve heard more than a few leaders tell me the reason they weren’t making progress was “that big church down the road!” The idea here?  “Because that big church is bearing fruit, we can’t.” Nothing could be further from the truth.

Here’s what God taught me about this in 2022: The world is big enough for all of us to succeed. More opportunities exist than people poised to take advantage of those opportunities. Their achievements don’t diminish yours. Their success is not a threat to you. So . . . practice being happy when good things happen to other people. And then get back to work!

Growth forces change. Joy and pain often co-exist. And the world contains more opportunities than you imagine.

What were the most important things you learned in 2022? Let those lessons sink deeply into your mind and heart, and carry them forward into 2023. I don’t want to take another lap around these same three mountains in 2023. I want the lessons learned last year to propel me into this year—and I genuinely want the same for you.

Rooting and praying for you,

John