Media conglomerates are wealthy and powerful, in part, because they have learned how to wield great influence – whether hyperbole (typically) or reality. Consumers and companies pay to listen.

Recently I have been more influenced by colleagues and friends who are dealing with tough and/or unexpected health issues.  As I watch and hopefully help, those in their 40s and 50s who are recovering from or courageously battling illness, I reflected on my own choices and my own metrics for “success” and satisfaction. Like you, I hope to have many, many more years to squeeze all the juice from the proverbial lemon and explore all this wonderful life has to offer. But I also found myself wondering: if I felt I had limited time remaining, how would I want to measure my days?

After launching my consulting practice, one of my mentors advised to let go of revenue targets and other standard metrics. That made perfect sense and it felt like potential utopia, releasing the stress of striving for a $ goal and the disappointment if I fell short by even an immaterial amount. It was a great idea, but emotionally it seemed to be a concept for someone else.

Why? Because, for me, financial gain was a historic measure of success. Executives wage battles around boardroom tables to secure the bonuses they have come to relish or, in some cases, rely on.

Some of my colleagues extolled the freedom of our business. Wash your car in the middle of the day. Take the dog for a walk. Watch a movie. Again, while very appealing, it felt like a stolen treat, like skipping class on a sunny afternoon.

Instead, while I occasionally took such a break, I would usually “compensate” by working longer into the dinner hour or early evening. I would push through fatigue and any overwhelm as that had been my modus operendi for decades and it had served me well. No longer.

I have new measures.

• Am I having fun? With my clients, at my writing, with my family, on my travels, at my workouts.
• Am I learning and growing? Am I remaining open to others’ points of view, particularly when they differ from my own and/or long held beliefs? Will I change my opinion, if warranted?
• Did I laugh today?
• Did I take at least one action to build my business?
• Am I consistently delivering greater ROI to my clients?
• Did I really listen – to my husband, client, or friend? Did I pay attention to what might not have been said? Did I set aside my phone or laptop and give my full attention?
• Did I move my body, exercise?
• Am I contributing to my community and my city? Am I giving of my gifts?
• Did I speak to or reach out to everyone that I wanted to? I used to put off making a phone call to a friend or family member, as that would be a distraction from my primary goal – completing my work for the day. No longer and of course, the joke is on me, the work still gets done and I am more connected.
• Did I experience joy?

Now it’s your turn:

• What are your measures of success?
• Where did they originate? Most of us are largely influenced by our parents and teachers then later, friends and business colleagues.
• Have your measures changed and if so, for better or worse?
• Who has influenced your change in thinking?

I would love to hear from you.

My clients accelerate their results – increasing profitability, leadership performance, innovation, and accountability. I would love to discuss how I might contribute to your success. Contact me today.

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