The tragedy of success is that very often the successful fall victim to their success. As many build their careers, sweating it out day after day and night after night, they subject other aspects of their lives to neglect. When they eventually achieve their dream, reality then dawns on them, painfully though, that what they have lost in the process of attaining success is actually more valuable than the prize they got. Many sacrifice their health, family, friends and faith to get to the top of their career only to find out that they need all of these for their new status to be meaningful. So, in spite of the public acclaim that greets their career accomplishments, they feel unfulfilled because their success is mired by the secret pains they nurse as a result of their over concentration of efforts on just one aspect of their lives.
But that is not supposed to be. Success does not have to leave a bitter taste in the mouth. It is possible to be an all round success but this does not just happen; it is a consequence of serious planning.
Jack Welch
Jack Welch, former Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of General Electric, was a globally-acclaimed successful man. Under his watch, General Electric’s value rose about 4,000 per cent. The company became one of the most successful and profitable businesses in the world. So successful was Welch as GE’s helmsman that at his exit in 2001, the board rewarded him with a severance package totaling $417million, which is regarded as the highest of its kind in history. Welch, who was named Manager of the Century by Fortune Magazine in 1999, was courted by royalty across the globe and celebrated by presidents across the continents.
However, as successful as Welch was, his record is blighted; he couldn’t replicate his boardroom and workplace success in his home. He was married thrice and divorced twice. He divorced his first wife, Carolyn, in 1987 after 28 years of marriage. He divorced his second wife, Jane, in 2003 after 13 years of togetherness. He later got married to Suzy, his third wife. Welch admitted that while he was building his career he had little time to build his home and was not there for his four children and his first wife. So, despite the glamour and adulation, until his demise he harboured a personal regret over his failure to be the kind of father he should have been.
Goal setting is not just about a career
Many people in the corporate world set goals but they limit their goal setting to their careers and their finances. This is a fundamental mistake because these are not all there is to life. Because they planned for their careers and finance, they do well in those areas but turn out miserably in other aspects of life. Every individual functions in several roles outside the workplace and each of these roles must be planned for to attain success in them. According to Murphy’s Law, anything that can go wrong will go wrong. The only thing that can stop something from going wrong is to take decisive, definite and determined steps to guard against it turning out poorly. This is why the first step to becoming a complete leader is setting targets for oneself in every aspect of life. Every leader has to decide what kind of success outside work they want to record and take steps that will ensure the realization.
Work
Work is not just a means to earning a living; it is also an opportunity to improve life. Work is the platform given to everyone to shape the world because every piece of work properly done has the potentiality to make the world better. Everyone who has made valuable contribution to the world did so through the instrumentality of work. So, work is not just for jerks and nerds; it is for everybody. No one can experience real fulfillment in life without working. Work can be at home as a homemaker, in the classroom, in the boardroom, in the laboratory, in the newsroom, on the field of play, on the pulpit, in the mines, on construction site, at the monastery or in government.
Success is not determined by the workplace but the contribution that is made at the workplace. This is usually a function of the individual’s perception of the work, either as a meal ticket or an opportunity to effect a change. Those who see work as a meal ticket get what they see, while those who see it as an opportunity to make a mark not only make the mark but also get the meal ticket as well as other perks.
To excel at work requires setting a goal and being totally committed to the realization of the goal. It also requires being passionate about the work. With the right goal and passion, work can never be a boring or daunting chore but a mission that must be accomplished.
Health
John Maxwell, one of the best known leadership experts in the world, suffered a heart attack when he was almost 60 years. If not for the availability of advanced medical facility in the United States of America, where he is domiciled, the heart attack would have resulted in his death. According to his own account, the heart attack was a result of his overweight and lack of exercise. Maxwell is a workaholic who has impacted positively on millions of people across the world through his leadership training programmes and books. But while he was growing his career, he neglected his health and almost paid for this neglect with his life. He had a second chance but not many people are that fortunate. So many people who sacrificed their health for their careers never really enjoy the fruit of their career success, those who do not die live everyday in pains.
So, while building your career, pay attention to your health. Set a health goal and stick to it. Set a weight goal and strive to achieve it. Go for medical checkups even if you feel good in your body. It is good to be determined to leave a mark in the world but it is better to live to see the mark. Make time out to exercise your body. Experts have suggested that to be fit, each of us needs to take about 10,000 steps daily. This should be worked into your daily schedule. You can start at home and continue at work. You may choose to take a 10-minute walk every hour or a 30-minute walk thrice a day; there are devices to help you keep the count. Choose whatever works for you but do walk. Every step you take makes you fitter.
Then eat right. Experts are of the opinion that we would be healthier if we would be careful enough to eat right. Scale down your consumption of the three white poisons; salt, sugar and flour. The less of these three you take, the healthier you will be. The closer to nature your diet is, the better and happier you will be. Then take fruits. Do not forget the adage, an apple a day keeps the doctor away.
Family
Career pursuit often drives family members apart because they bear the brunt of the career strides. Many career persons will not think twice before cancelling a family outing to slot in a meeting with a client. While career pursuit is important, it should not be done at the expense of family cohesion and happiness. Create time for your family members. Spare time to attend events that are important to your child. Let your spouse know that they are important to you by making time out for them. If you do not connect with your child when he is young, you won’t have a relationship with him when he is old. If you do not make time out for your spouse when you are building your career, you won’t have the peace of mind to enjoy the fruit of your labour when you get to the summit of your career.
Again, you must start out with a goal. What kind of family do you want to raise? You must determine that right from the onset. You must also determine the sacrifice you want to make to keep your home.
Faith
Voltaire, a French philosopher, said, “If God did not exist it would be necessary to invent Him.” The import of this is that God is so real that those who claim not to believe in Him are actually confirming His existence. He went on to add that belief in God is required for the civilized society to function.
One of the easiest things to subjugate in the course of pursuing a career is one’s relationship with God. My personal conviction is that having a relationship with God stabilizes an individual and gives him a consciousness about the other person. Those who believe in God ascribe their success to Him. Consequently, they are humble because of their persuasion that they would not have attained their height without the intervention of God. As a result of this disposition, they are predisposed to helping others because of the belief that doing so positions them for further divine help.
In addition, because of their conviction that God rules in the affairs of men, they are moderate in their quest for success and riches. This gives them the peace of mind that those who do not have this persuasion lack.
So, it is important that as you grow your career you set a faith goal. How close do you want to be to God and how will you get there? Doing this makes you more human and humane; it gives you a heart for the people and prevents you from crashing from grass to grace.
Last line
Whoever sets goals for every aspect of his life and pursues the realization of these goals with passion and diligence will be an all round success.
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