Today we’re speaking to someone who truly understands a life beyond business. As CEO of the Halftime Institute, Dean Niewolny has been empowering people to find fulfillment in their lives outside of work.

Dean has lived through his very own crisis too. Having spent 23 years in senior exec roles across Wall Street, he can remember staring out of the window one day and wondering what it all meant. That feeling of emptiness persuaded him to sign up to the Halftime Institute as a client, and it wasn’t long before he was given the opportunity to cross over to the other side and become a member of their senior management team.

What a meaningful conversation we had – it’s well worth a listen – but if you’re pushed for time, read on for the summary of the show…

Based on Bob Buford’s book, ‘Halftime: Moving From Success To Significance’, the institute offers guidance to people like Dean who find themselves at a crossroads in their career/life. As the title of the book says it is geared towards finding ‘significance’ rather than the endless pursuit of ‘success’.

People find themselves working with The Halftime Institute after they experience what Neil called  “smoldering discontent”… They have achieved success in today’s terms but still feel like something is missing. They are on a search to find more meaning in life.

The concept of halftime started when Bob Buford woke up and had a “success panic”  in the middle of the night.  He had an epiphany that he was addicted to the kill and the thrill of the deal. He found himself asking, “What’s this all for? Is this it?”

Halftime is not a time of crisis but a time to reflect.  It should be a catalyst for purpose, impact, and growth.

Dean has seen the definition of what halftime means change significantly during his time in the business. When he started, it normally meant the literal halfway point in somebody’s life, i.e. at 40-65 they’d look to identify significance. Now he sees people begin the quest for significance ranging from their late 20s to their 80s. It also used to be very male dominated, but now the split is only 60/40 male to female.

In the case of many business owners and highly successful business people, it’s a significant event like a death in the family or an illness. In Dean’s case it was the realization he was in a state of ‘smoldering discontent’.

Not at all – this is a common myth that Dean is desperate to bust. The obvious thought in many people’s minds is to throw away their career and do something conventionally worthy like open a homeless shelter, but it is distinctly possible for people to use their existing platforms to find better fulfillment. According to Dean, 70% of people who complete Halftime programs actually stay where they’re at. They simply find ways to reach significance with what they already have.

Dean tried to do it on his own and it was a disaster. He advises you to take a pause in life, ‘figure out your strengths, passions, gifts and what makes you sad, glad and mad.’ Dean says it’s essential to have someone walk you through the journey. There are also great benefits in doing it as part of a group because sharing the journey with somebody else at the same level is a great motivating factor.