What Do You Want to Be When You Grow Up?

It's a question we've all been asked.

"What do you want to be when you grow up?"

When I was younger, I don't know that I had a clear answer. Like many people, I just wanted to be successful. I wanted stability. I wanted to make a difference. I wanted to create a life that looked different from the one I grew up in.

As life unfolded, I wore many hats.

Daughter.

Wife.

Mother.

Coach.

Mentor.

Soldier.

Leader.

And somewhere along the way, I realized something profound:

I had already become the person I was searching for.

For more than 24 years in military service—and particularly throughout the last 15 years in senior leadership roles—I have had the privilege of developing people. I've coached individuals through adversity, facilitated difficult conversations, built resilient teams, mentored emerging leaders, and helped organizations navigate change.

I didn't realize it then, but leadership and resilience weren't simply responsibilities listed in my job description.

They were my calling.

As a Sergeant Major, I have spent years investing in people. I've helped leaders identify blind spots, encouraged growth in those who doubted themselves, and reminded others that resilience isn't about pretending everything is okay—it's about learning how to move forward when it isn't.

The truth is, I don't just teach leadership.

I live it.

Starting Resilient & Motivational Leaders Group, LLC wasn't about becoming someone new. It was about creating a platform to extend the work I've already been doing beyond the walls of the military.

The principles that build strong military leaders are often the same principles that strengthen families, workplaces, schools, and communities:

Communication.

Accountability.

Adaptability.

Purpose.

Resilience.

Leadership.

I believe leadership isn't confined to rank or title. Some of the greatest leaders I know don't wear uniforms, sit in executive offices, or stand behind podiums. They lead in classrooms, in living rooms, on athletic fields, and in everyday moments when no one is watching.

For years, I asked myself what I wanted to be when I grew up.

Today, I think I finally know.

I want to help people become the leaders they were created to be.

I want to encourage resilience in those who are weary.

I want to create spaces where growth, authenticity, and purpose can coexist.

I want to use my experiences—the victories and the setbacks—to empower others.

I may still be growing, learning, and evolving.

But one thing is certain:

I don't just teach leadership.

I live it.

And now, through R&ML Group, I have the opportunity to help others do the same.

— DeAnna H. Cody, Founder & CEO, Resilient & Motivational Leaders Group, LLC