Tag: success

How will you measure your life?

Balancing Achievement and Fulfillment:
Christensen’s work emphasizes the delicate balance between career achievement and personal fulfillment. He suggests that while professional accomplishments are measurable and visible, personal satisfaction is often less tangible but equally important. The key lies in defining what success truly means on a personal level and aligning it with one’s professional goals.

How will you measure your life?

Investing in Relationships:
One of the central tenets of Christensen’s book is the significance of investing in relationships. He argues that strong personal relationships are the most substantial source of long-term happiness. For executives, this might mean reevaluating priorities to ensure that relationships with family, friends, and community are nurtured alongside career aspirations.

The Danger of Marginal Thinking:
Christensen cautions against marginal thinking – making decisions based on short-term gains rather than long-term values. This approach can lead to compromises in both personal integrity and life goals. For leaders, maintaining a steadfast focus on core values and long-term objectives is crucial for true success.

The Motivation Factor:
Understanding what motivates us is another critical aspect. Christensen points out that motivation often comes from intrinsic rewards – the sense of satisfaction from the work itself – rather than extrinsic rewards like money or status. Leaders need to identify what intrinsically motivates them and their teams to foster a fulfilling work environment.

Creating a Personal Strategy:
The concept of developing a personal strategy is pivotal in Christensen’s philosophy. Just as businesses require strategic planning to thrive, individuals need personal strategies to achieve their life goals. This involves setting clear objectives, understanding the resources available, and regularly reviewing and adjusting these plans.


“How Will You Measure Your Life?” offers a reflective and strategic approach to life’s biggest decisions. For executives and leaders, Christensen’s insights provide a framework for aligning professional achievements with personal fulfillment. By focusing on what truly matters, leaders can navigate their lives with purpose and satisfaction, creating a legacy that transcends professional success. This book is not just a guide to living but a reminder of the values that define a truly successful life.

The Unseen Sprint – Embracing the Unknown in Pursuit of Success

The unseen sprint

In a world obsessed with definite outcomes and clear finish lines, the true test of character often lies in how one performs when the end is not in sight. This concept was powerfully articulated by Georgia Tech strength coach Lewis Caralla in a motivational speech he delivered in 2021. His message was simple yet profound: true success requires the courage to sprint when the distance is unknown.

Imagine running in a misty forest, where the path ahead is shrouded in fog. You don’t know how long or arduous the journey will be, yet you keep pushing forward. This analogy perfectly encapsulates the essence of Caralla’s message.

“In the race of life, true victory lies not in the distance covered, but in the courage to sprint through the fog of the unknown.”

The Unforgiving Nature of Winning

Caralla’s speech opened with some hard truths about winning. It’s an unforgiving, unemotional entity. Winning doesn’t care about your sacrifices, your pain, or your dedication. It’s a destination that doesn’t promise loyalty to anyone. This harsh reality serves as a wake-up call that in the pursuit of success, our efforts, while necessary, do not guarantee victory.

The Two Pillars of the Unknown Sprint

To sprint when the end is unseen requires two fundamental beliefs:

  1. Belief in Oneself: This is the confidence in your own abilities and the conviction that you can endure, regardless of the challenges.
  2. Belief in the Mission: It’s the faith in the purpose of your journey, whether it’s caring for loved ones, building something meaningful, or serving others.

Both these beliefs are essential. One without the other is like a bird with only one wing – unable to soar to its full potential.

The Essence of True Victory

The willingness to undertake this unseen sprint is what defines true success. It’s not about the accolades or the endpoint. It’s about the relentless pursuit, the unwavering spirit, and the commitment to a cause beyond oneself. This journey, filled with uncertainty and challenges, is where the greatest accomplishments are forged.

Caralla’s concluding thought offers a compelling reason to embrace this approach: if you don’t chase victory in the face of uncertainty, you’re inadvertently choosing defeat. The choice, then, is clear. Embrace the sprint, even when the distance is unknown, for that is where true winning lies.

Let us find those rare purposes in life that are worth this sprint. For in these pursuits, we discover not just success, but the very essence of our resilience and determination.

Success, Power and Money

In a world increasingly defined by the pursuit of success, money, and power, there exists a troubling yet often unspoken reality: these coveted achievements can, and frequently do, mask a multitude of sins. This phenomenon is not merely a facet of individual morality but a broader reflection of societal values and the often-skewed lens through which we view achievement and ethics.

Success, Power and Money

At the heart of this issue is the concept of success itself. In many cultures, success is often quantified by wealth and status. This singular focus on the end result, rather than the means of achieving it, creates an environment where the end justifies the means. When someone attains a high level of success, their actions, irrespective of their moral implications, are often overlooked, excused, or even admired. This societal leniency creates a dangerous precedent, where the pursuit of success becomes decoupled from ethical considerations.

Money, the most tangible indicator of this success, further exacerbates the issue. Wealth can act as a buffer, insulating the affluent from the consequences typically borne by others. This disparity is evident in various spheres, from legal battles where financial clout can tip the scales, to everyday scenarios where wealth buys a level of privilege and leniency not available to the average person. The message this sends is troubling: that money can not only buy happiness but also immunity.

Power, intertwined with success and money, is perhaps the most potent factor in this equation. Those in positions of power often benefit from a presumption of righteousness or, at the very least, a presumption of innocence. Their actions are frequently rationalized as necessary steps on the path to greater good, or worse, as inconsequential given their overall contributions. This power dynamic creates an environment where wrongdoings are not just overlooked but are sometimes unknowingly encouraged.

This interplay of success, money, and power, and its impact on moral accountability, raises critical questions about the kind of society we are shaping. It challenges the core principles of justice and equity, suggesting a world where some are more equal than others. It also poses a fundamental question about the role of success in our lives: should success at any cost be the ultimate goal, or should it be tempered by a strong ethical compass?

Thankfully, there is a growing awareness of these issues. In recent years, there has been a noticeable shift towards valuing ethical practices and social responsibility, particularly among younger generations. This change is being driven by greater access to information, a more interconnected world, and a rising consciousness about the long-term implications of unchecked power and wealth.

The path forward requires a collective commitment to redefining success. It calls for a balance between ambition and ethics, where achievements are celebrated not just for their material gains but for their positive impact on society. It demands a reevaluation of our heroes and role models, choosing to elevate those who embody not just success in traditional terms, but also integrity, empathy, and a commitment to the greater good.

The relationship between success, money, power, and ethical conduct is complex and deeply ingrained in societal structures. Addressing it requires not just individual introspection but a societal shift in how we view success and value moral integrity. Only through such a shift can we hope to create a world where success is not just about what one achieves, but also about how one achieves it, laying the foundation for a more just and equitable society.