After the Summit: What Comes Next

When you finally reach the goal you’ve been working so hard for…what’s next?

In this episode, we tackle how to think about this tricky question.

If you’re a performer, creative leader, event organizer, athlete, writer, speaker, or goal-getter of any kind, this episode will resonate with you. Jessica reflects on the days and weeks after hosting The Ampersand Summit, and how to use the time after a peak experience to your advantage.

We talk about how…

• Achievement is not the endpoint

• To embrace the “in-between” time

• To move from reflection to action

• Regeneration (not just recuperation) might be what you need

• Why Ampersands have a unique advantage

We want to hear from you! 

Leave us a voicemail at theampersandmanifesto.com/voicemail or email us at [e-mail].

~

Are you a high achiever, a leader, or an Ampersand looking for a sounding board? Jessica helps executives, leaders, and founders like you gain clarity and lead bravely. As your trusted advisor and growth partner, she works with you to make the invisible visible and develop an action plan to fulfill your goals. 

For nearly two decades, Jessica led marketing teams, launched products, and grew businesses at places like Apple, the San Francisco Opera, Smule, and Magoosh – while also building a performing career as a singer. As an Ampersand in many facets, she knows personally what it’s like to hold many roles simultaneously, to sit on the executive team, and to find fulfillment. With a BA in Music and a BS in Product Design from Stanford, coupled with an MBA from UC Berkeley and coach training from the Center for Executive Coaching, her unique mix of analytical & creative allows her to bring both depth and breadth of perspective into the coaching process.

As a coach, Jessica works to champion you – the full, multifaceted you – so you can thrive.

Visit ⁠jessicawan.com⁠ or BOOK AN INTRO CALL: ⁠https://calendly.com/jessicawancoaching/intro-call-coaching⁠

Credits

Produced and Hosted by ⁠Jessica Wan⁠

Co-produced, edited, sound design, and original music by ⁠Carlos Schmitt

Want to support this show in a small way? Rate and review it at theampersandmanifesto.com, or buy me a coffee: ⁠coff.ee/jessicawan⁠

Episode Transcript

(00:07):
Have you ever felt like you livein two worlds?
You're leading teams at a tech company by day, but at night
you're choreographing dance pieces.
Or you're a venture capitalist who's also producing music, or
an engineer who performs opera? You're not alone and you're not

(00:31):
weird. Welcome to the Ampersand
Manifesto, the podcast for people who make their mark in
multiple fields. I'm Jessica Watt and after 50
interviews with Multi PassionateAmpersands, I'm sharing the
manifesto, why we keep doing what we do even when it's hard,

(00:54):
and what it means for how we live, lead and create.
Last month I Co hosted the Ampersand Summit in San
Francisco. For 50 people who, like me,

(01:17):
straddle multiple careers and passions, the event was magical
and one-of-a-kind. The room was buzzing with energy
and the 3 1/2 hours we shared flew by.
We brought together leaders, creators and change makers who
refused to be boxed into one path.
The conversations were alive with curiosity and connection,

(01:41):
ideas bouncing, experiences shared, and that quiet
acknowledgement that we all understood each other's
complexities. Don't just take it from me.
Here's what one of our attendeessaid.
I've attended many events over the years, and this one was
truly one of the most valuable uses of my time.

(02:03):
I had the opportunity to showcase my own work and watch
others share theirs. It was inspiring from start to
finish. You know the word Summit has a
few meanings. 1 The convening ofa group of people who have a
common purpose, and two, the highest point of a hill or

(02:27):
mountain. For me, this event hit both
meanings. I first got the idea to have a
larger public ampersand event back in April.
I researched venues, formats andgrappled with questions of
scale. How could we maintain intimacy
while also increasing access? By June, I'd found my

(02:51):
collaborators, Reichi and Steph,and we'd booked the date and
venue of the San Francisco Community Music Center.
We climbed the mountain and it was a thrilling journey.
And then on the day of the summit, we were up there looking
out at the clear sky and beautiful view.

(03:13):
As the last hugs were exchanged and the space emptied, I felt a
familiar shift. The high of performance day.
The summit itself was giving wayto that tricky, all too familiar
question. Now what?
I've learned that for me, and I suspect for many high achievers,

(03:38):
the days after a big goal are a roller coaster performance day.
Pure elation, the kind of joy that makes you stop and think,
wow, is this real? I actually did it.
But then the next day there's a full body exhaustion.
You replay the events in your mind, trying to savor the

(04:00):
contentment but also wondering if it really happened, if it was
all as perfect as it felt in themoment.
And then comes day three. That's when the absence of
structure hits. The routine I built to reach
this goal is gone, and suddenly I feel untethered, unmoored.

(04:25):
Wait, am I in a rut? This pattern isn't just a quirk
of my own personality. I've heard that some Olympic
athletes have their hardest yearafter they win a medal.
I'm not an Olympian, but I can relate.
The days after the summit, I found myself wandering through

(04:48):
my schedule, looking for purposein small ways.
That's when I got a request frommy kids.
School volunteers needed to assemble yard signs.
This was it, the perfect opportunity to leave my house
and put together 50 signs with my hands.

(05:09):
For the first time in a few days, I felt grounded again.
It wasn't recuperation in the passive sense that I needed.
It was regeneration, The kind ofenergy that comes from doing,
from creating, from making something tangible in a
completely different arena. What struck me in that moment,

(05:32):
and what I want to share with you, is that being an ampersand
isn't just about juggling multiple interests or careers.
It's about having somewhere elseto go when the main event is
behind you. It's having that freedom to
shift focus, to apply your skills in a new way and to find

(05:53):
meaning in doing other importantthings.
After the summit, I found myselfreflecting on what those post
peak days really revealed. Here are a few of the most
important lessons I walked away with.

(06:13):
One achievement is not the end point.
We often treat big goals as finish lines, but the truth is,
the climb doesn't end when you reach the top.
You got to get down somehow. Yes, the peak is exhilarating,
but it's also temporary. What comes afterwards, the

(06:36):
pause, the reflection, the what now is where growth continues.
The summit reminded me that achievement is a moment to
celebrate, but it's not a permanent state.
And that space afterward can also be rich with possibility to

(07:00):
embrace the in between the days after a big achievement can feel
uncomfortable, even disorienting, But they're the
perfect time for reflection and learning.
We sometimes forget about these liminal times in between the big
moments, but that's really when life is happening.

(07:22):
Life always continues to happen,so why not make the most of it?
The Monday after our event, I went to the Berkeley Rose Garden
with my notebook and turned off my phone for about an hour.
I wrote down everything in my mind so I could capture these
reflections while they were still fresh.

(07:45):
From tiny tactical things to bigexistential questions to all the
feelings I was feeling in the moment.
I needed to write that all down.Three from reflection to action

(08:05):
for me after a peak experience. Reflection alone can feel
isolating. Moving into action no matter how
small. Jump starts momentum and keeps
you from getting stuck in a postpeak lol.
Remember, action begets action and I knew I needed to take that

(08:27):
first small Step 4 Regeneration instead of recuperation.
After the summit, lots of peoplegave me well intended advice to
relax, chill, bask in the afterglow.

(08:49):
But I have learned that what I need most isn't just rest, it's
also regeneration. Doing something useful with my
hands, helping in a different context, or shifting my focus to
another area of my life reignites both my energy and my
inspiration. 5 The Ampersand Advantage One of the most

(09:21):
underrated benefits of living a multi passionate life is having
multiple arenas to apply your skills.
When 1 milestones achieved, there's always another place to
explore, contribute, or create. As an ampersand, you can move
fluidly between worlds and prevent stagnation.

(09:41):
Being an ampersand isn't just about juggling interests or
careers, it's about building resilience and adaptability
within your life. As I reflect on the Ampersand
Summit, I realize it wasn't justabout reaching a peak.
It was about the entire journey,from the spark of inspiration to

(10:04):
the long climb up the mountain, to taking in the extraordinary
view and basking in the joy and also enjoying the climb back
down and seeing things from a new perspective.
The highs, the pause, the restlessness, the small acts of

(10:27):
regeneration, they're also part of the journey.
Being in Ampersand means knowingthere's always another arena to
engage, another way to create meaning, and another path to
explore. So here's my question for you.
When you reach your highest highs, where do you go next?

(10:50):
Do you pause, reflect, and regenerate, or do you rush
toward the next goal? And if you do take the pause,
what small, purposeful action could reignite your energy in a
completely different way? I'd love to know what resonates
with you from this episode. Leave me a voicemail at the

(11:11):
ampersandmanifesto.com/voicemailor send me an e-mail at
[e-mail]. Hope to hear from you.
If you liked this show, share itwith your friends and fellow
ampersands and make sure to hit the follow button to be notified

(11:33):
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