Enlightened Leadership Blog | Closing Chapters Matter . . . in Writing, in Business, and in Life | December 2024
Closing chapters are the significant moments in every life that represent the end of one season and the beginning of another. They are times for reflection, introspection, and appreciation of the journey forged. Because of this, closing chapters often bring mixed emotions.
In writing, crafting the closing chapter may elicit a sense of accomplishment and excitement for finishing the project, a journey usually littered with late nights and reheated caffeine. Book manuscripts take months, often years, to write. That closing chapter becomes a bittersweet farewell to the message or characters that inspired the author for all that time. It’s also a sendoff for the readers. The mark of an excellent closing chapter is ending the content in a way that serves the readers well, helping them feel satisfied and anticipating your next book.
In business, closing chapters are also meaningful. Whether leaving a job, a career, or a business you founded, the end of a business season could bring joy, relief, and contentment for the perseverance required for success. Or it might end with frustration and bitterness, depending on your perspective and the events themselves. There may also be a tinge of sadness or nostalgia for the experiences and memories left behind, for both the journey and the customers or clients served. Our entrepreneurial efforts highlight significant pieces of us, the outpouring of our dreams, virtues, passions, and personalities. When seasons end, it matters.
In life in general, closing chapters are unavoidable. They are seasons when part of our hearts stays in the past so that our minds and souls can plow ahead with newfound knowledge, freedom, experience, wisdom, or tenacity. We must acknowledge the significance of our life’s closing chapters because they allow us to grow, whether that chapter was a rite of passage, a relationship, an educational pursuit, a career, or something else. Each chapter provides valuable lessons and experiences that shape us into who we are today and point to who we might become. Through the closing of one chapter, we can fully appreciate our journeys and make any necessary adjustments for a life lived well in the next part of our story.
That’s the point: in all parts of life, our closing chapters set the stage for new beginnings. The significance of our closing chapters, whether in writing, business, or life in general, cannot be underestimated. These are times to set new goals, create plans, and embark on new adventures. They represent fresh starts—chances to rewrite the narratives of our lives.
My closing chapter for contributing to the Enlightened Leadership Blog is here. For the past two years, I have tag-teamed with Jennifer Musser to bring you content that I hope and pray served you well, whether you are an entrepreneurial writer or a business professional who writes often. Partnering with Jennifer has been a blessing. She taught me much about business relationship-building and kindness, and I am grateful to have a new friend in my network.
Before moving on to a new chapter in my professional world, I impart this advice for when you’re writing: don’t shy away from the raw and authentic material, most importantly, your personal stories. Even in business, leadership can only be done well when done with others top of mind. Good, reliable writing connects us soul to soul through shared emotional understanding and empathy, including in the professional world of leadership, where people matter most. Author Lance Secretan says, “Authenticity is the alignment of head, mouth, heart, and feet—thinking, saying, feeling, and doing the same thing—consistently. This builds trust, and followers love leaders they can trust.” I have found this to be true.
Write on and lead well in all chapters of life, fellow entrepreneurs.
By Cortney Donelson
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