We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Jacquelyn Fletcher Johnson a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Jacquelyn , looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. What do you think it takes to be successful?

So many of us have a definition of success that comes from other people. I started my business when I was in my 20s as an F you to all the people who told me that I couldn’t make a living as a creative. Anger is a really effective energy to drive action, but it’s not sustainable for a lifetime. After a bout with breast cancer, I finally understood that I had to discover what success meant to me and no one else.

My life and my business completely changed when I finally understood that distinction. Today, I am very clear on what success means. It means having plenty of money, plenty of time, and plenty of help. It means doing the things that have deep meaning for me. It means impacting the lives of others in positive ways. It means having a lot of fun!

This life is a grand experiment, and my dreams have changed over the years. I think being successful asks us to be open, to be self-aware, and to remember that it’s all made up! We get to create our lives and businesses like we create a painting or a poem. So what kind of life will you create?

Jacquelyn , before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

I recently won an award from a group of entrepreneurs. I traveled across the country to the black-tie gala to accept my award and while I was there, I got a tote back that read “Self-Made.” I strutted around for a few days wearing those words like a badge of honor. I’m self-made. I’m SELF-MADE! But after a few days I started feeling really uncomfortable with those words. Why? Because, though I work hard and make big and bold asks, I don’t consider myself self-made. I have been made by so many people. So many teachers and guides and generous advocates have helped me become who I am.

I am most proud of the work I’ve done to make other people’s dreams come true. I love seeing the light go on in someone’s eyes as they have a breakthrough – whether that’s from a stage in front of 1,600 people, on a zoom call, with a group, or in a 1:1 conversation.

At heart, I’ an obsessive learner who loves to be out front learning and doing new things and then teaching others about what I’ve learned. As a creative, I’ve done a lot of things in my career…designed big national conferences, built training programs for high-potential executives at Fortune 50 companies, co-created and hosted a TV show for Mayo Clinic, written books, spoken to big audiences.

Today, I’m a consultant to C-Suite leaders and a coach of big dreamers who all want to make the world a better place. I design transformational experiences including conferences and corporate training programs. Most importantly, I race dragon boats. I’m a paddler and steer for the Dragon Divas, a team made up entirely of breast cancer survivors.

What’s a lesson you had to unlearn and what’s the backstory?

I was taught that writers can’t make a living and therefore didn’t have value. I spent my life working to prove that wasn’t true, but no matter how successful I was, the core learning was still down there embedded in the foundations of my belief system. “I have no value.”

It wasn’t until later in my career that I began to really understand my value in the workplace. I had to find and believe in my own inherent value as a human. Once I did that, I discovered that my skill at seeing the world a bit differently and to express it powerfully is a huge asset. One that people are willing to pay for and to value.

Let’s talk about resilience next – do you have a story you can share with us?

Each day of successfully owning your own business demonstrates and requires resilience and I have run mine for 22 years. I have followed my curiosity and tried new things. I have shown up at the blank page again and again and again.

I think one of the secrets to resilience is to keep showing up day after day taking the tiny steps that will lead you toward where you want to go.

Another key to resilience is not being too tied up with where you’re headed and being open to what comes your way.

And the biggest factor of resilience is your relationships. Almost every piece of my business has come my way because I met someone and we built a relationship of trust and respect.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.heartwoodhealing.com/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jacquelynfletcherjohnson/

Image Credits
Headshot: Laine Torres Speaking Shots: Anna Cillan