More secrets of successful achievers.

Work harder and smarter.
When you cut your own wood, it warms you twice. What we refer to as luck is often the bringing together of capability and opportunity. The harder you work and the more thoroughly you prepare, the luckier you get. Work has a different meaning today in that everyone needs to function as a manager and has to learn to manage some aspect of their job. And in a dynamic world, everyone constantly needs to acquire new skills. So learning needs to be a regular part of work too rather than a separate entity. Since our organizations can’t provide as much external security as they did in the past, you have to rely on yourself to a much greater extent. Focusing on non-stop development is a way to do this.

Strive for balance.
Everybody wants work-life balance but nobody has a clue how to get it. That's because the idea is all wrong, according to Dr Steven Poelmans at Madrid's IESE Business School. "I don't like the word balance," he says, "since it means if you put more into one side (say, work or family responsibilities), there's less time for another. Instead, companies and employees need to think about harmonizing work life, prioritizing things in the various parts of life as they need to. Work-life balance is all about having a sense of meaning and purpose in life."

Everybody’s day is the same length. It feels shorter when our stress and responsibilities from work follow us into our home environment and our concerns from home follow us to the office. The stress we feel at home undermines our relationships and reduces our ability to cope; in the office, we become less engaged and less productive. What we need to do instead is to allow ourselves time to refocus between work and home. By more effectively separating our worlds, we can use our time more effectively – and enjoy it more.

"Full wealth doesn't exist in monetary value alone. Wealth includes the balance of an open heart, a desire to seek life's secrets and a connection to life that stimulates the spirit." - Peter Howe

"Life is like riding a bike. It's impossible to maintain your balance while standing still." - Linda Brakeall