We all heard the question growing up: What do you want to be when you grow up?
Astronaut. Doctor. Teacher. CEO. The answers always pointed to a title, a role, an achievement. And somewhere along the way, we internalized the idea that our worth is defined by what we do.
A Better Question
What if we asked a different question instead: What do you want to be like when you grow up?
That single word, like, shifts everything. It moves the focus from titles and accomplishments to character and identity. Instead of chasing a position, you’re designing a way of being.
- Do you want to be kind? Patient? Generous?
- Do you want to be someone your team trusts?
- Do you want to be fully present with your family?
These aren’t job descriptions. They’re character descriptions. And they’re the foundation of what Goodness over Greatness calls inside-out leadership: leading from who you are, not from the role you hold.
Start with ME
The journey from goodness to greatness starts with you. Not your team, not your company, not your industry. You. Your values, your purpose, your character.
Once that foundation is solid, it naturally extends outward: from ME to WE to THEY. That’s the arc of the book, and it’s the arc of a life well-lived.
The question isn’t whether you’ll grow up — it’s who you’ll be when you get there.
