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I used to define success only in the context of career – how far up the corporate ladder I could climb and how much money or bonus I could earn. I think years of business and life experience have taught me to take a much broader perspective on success. To be truly successful is to have balance in your life. So often we are focused on one area of our life at the expense of another. I really believe we are most successful when we are in balance and generally feeling happy with every area of life, whether that’s career, family, friends, significant other, finances, personal growth, health and wellness, physical environment and even spirituality. So how do you begin to achieve balance? 1. Keep your priorities clear! First, it’s really important to get clarity around your values. What’s most important to you? Taking the time for some self-discovery to define your values is time well spent. A good coach can assist you with this process. Often there is disconnect between what people say are their values and what they are actually practicing. Once you define and have clarity around your values, it becomes easier to make choices and decisions in your life. Your values guide you in how you want to live your life. In my experience, people are better able to express the “things” they want rather than what truly makes them happy. Helping people get reconnected to their values, desires and their dreams helps them to steer away from the pursuit of “things” and moves them toward what they truly value instead. 2. Set goals and take action! Secondly, I recommend goal-setting. I strongly believe it’s important to not only set goals but to also review them regularly. Each year I take stock of what I have accomplished that year and take the time to review what I have learned and how much I’ve grown in every area of my life. I then take the time to think about the following year. What do I want it to look like? What will success look like at the end of the year? What career and/or business goals do I wish to set? What personal development initiatives or training do I want to undertake? Where do I want to travel? What do I wish to experience? How much money do I want to save or invest? It’s amazing how many goals you can achieve just by identifying them and clearly articulating them. Next you have to put time and energy into taking action. Sometimes it’s time consuming and sometimes it’s just not easy work. Successful people get things done, no matter how busy they are. So I believe if you want something bad enough, you will put the time and energy into it. 3. Enjoy the journey! Lastly, it’s not just about reaching the goals; it is also about savoring each moment along the way to the goal that’s fulfilling. The many wonderful memories and lessons learned along the way make the goal so much more meaningful than the goal itself. Maintaining balance is not easy but it is doable. -- Linda Cattelan is an Executive & Career Coach, Certified Trainer & Master Practitioner of NLP and a Contributing Author of The Power of Women United an inspirational book on networking. If you are interested in learning more about closing the gap between where you are now and where you want to be in any area of your life, join our mailing list Receive valuable information on these topics and regular updates about upcoming events and workshops.
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