On Your Terms® 275. 6 Lessons I Wish I Knew 5 Years Ago
15 snips
Feb 9, 2026 A candid rewind to five years ago with six lessons about building and living through growth. Conversations touch on why the climb can be more rewarding than the peak. Topics include shifting goals, defining your own why, resisting trend-chasing, leading with confidence, and a simple ritual to ease control and trust the process.
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Becoming Is The Point
- The joy in business often lives in the rise, not the promised destination.
- Sam Vander Wielen urges savoring the becoming instead of waiting for 'someday' to start enjoying success.
Life Ruled By Caretaking
- In 2021 Sam's life was dominated by caring for her father during frequent transfusions and infections.
- That caretaking routine shaped how she balanced her business and personal priorities.
Major Life Shifts Since 2021
- Five years later Sam had moved to Long Island and experienced major personal losses including her father's and mother's deaths.
- She contrasts the earlier intense caretaking period with the current life changes and grief.
