How Will You Measure Your Life?

Some excerpts from the HBR article by Clayton M. Christensen

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One of the theories that gives great insight on the first question—how to be sure we find happiness in our careers—is from Frederick Herzberg, who asserts that the powerful motivator in our lives isn’t money; it’s the opportunity to learn, grow in responsibilities, contribute to others, and be recognized for achievements...

My conclusion: Management is the most noble of professions if it's practiced well. No other occupation offers as many ways to help others learn and grow, take responsibility and be recognized for achievement, and contribute to the success of a team. (My note: it can also be the hardest of professions)

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For me, having a clear purpose in life has been essential..

The choice and successful pursuit of a profession is but one tool for achieving your purpose. But without purpose, life can become hollow..

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If you study the root cause of business disasters, over and over you'll find this predisposition towards endeavors that offer immediate gratification. If you look at personal lives through the lens, you'll see the same stunning and sobering pattern: people allocating fewer and fewer resources to the things they would have once said mattered most.

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About culture: They embrace priorities and follow procedures by instinct and assumption rather than by explicit decision- which means that they've created a culture. Culture, in compelling but unspoken ways, dictates the proven, acceptable methods by which members of the group address recurrent problems. And culture defines the priority given to different types of problems..

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It's easier to hold your principles 100% of the time than it is to hold to them 98% of the time.. You've got to define for yourself what you stand for and draw a line in a safe place.

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One characteristic of these humble people stood out: They had a high level of self-esteem. They knew who they were, and they felt good about who they were. We also decided that humility was defined not by self-deprecating behavior or attitudes but by the esteem with which you regard others.

Generally, you can be humble only if you feel really good about yourself - and you want to help those around you feel really good about themselves, too.

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Choose the Right Yardstick

I have a pretty clear idea of how my ideas have generated enormous revenue for companies that have used my research; I know I’ve had a substantial impact. But as I’ve confronted this disease, it’s been interesting to see how unimportant that impact is to me now. I’ve concluded that the metric by which God will assess my life isn’t dollars but the individual people whose lives I’ve touched.

I think that’s the way it will work for us all. Don’t worry about the level of individual prominence you have achieved; worry about the individuals you have helped become better people. This is my final recommendation: Think about the metric by which your life will be judged, and make a resolution to live every day so that in the end, your life will be judged a success.