How Not To Succeed
Are You Measuring Success The Wrong Way?
Key Ideas
- Reveals the dangers hiding behind financial success.
- How to re-think your definition of success to create more happiness in your life.
Last weekend I enjoyed a 12 mile hike through mountain trails with a good friend.
The day was gorgeous, the scenery beautiful, and the conversation stimulating.
After our hike, my friend told me an amazing story about the unlikely tragedy surrounding his company's buy-out for more than $100 million dollars.
What's amazing is how a successful buy-out could be a tragedy.
After all, it's every entrepreneurs dream.
These four leaders who drove this company from feeble beginnings into a $100 million dollar pay-day should have enjoyed every minute of it.
It sounds like a classic rags-to-riches story – the American dream come true – except there are some important details you're missing…
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For example, the company founder worked non-stop, ridiculous hours and wore himself into the ground ignoring multiple health warnings.
He ended up with a massive stroke at age 50, killing off a major portion of his brain and functionality. He now has difficulty walking, and can barely enjoy the fruits of his success.
The CFO died within a year of selling the company (also at a prematurely early age).
The third main executive ended up divorced with multiple health problems.
Only my friend (the fourth executive) managed to maintain his health, marriage, and sanity through the process of building the business.
The moral of the story is that's no way to succeed.
It may be a cliche, but when you have your health, you have everything.
Living life in balance while pursuing financial gain is an essential part of the formula for true success.
Related: 5 Financial Planning Mistakes That Cost You Big-Time (and what to do instead!) Explained in 5 Free Video Lessons
The founder of the company received $80 million, but I doubt anyone reading this post would swap their health for that money if it meant also having a stroke and becoming partially brain-dead.
The bottom line is don't make the same mistake and sacrifice your health for success.
Don't miss your kids growing up or ignore your spouse.
And don't stop living at least one important dream every year. Money isn't worth it.
As John Lennon wisely pointed out, “Life is what happens when you're busy making other plans.”
You can't come back to the stuff that truly matters “someday” because eventually, you'll run out of “somedays”.
Life is what happens when you're busy making other plans.– John Lennon
Success is much more than money. Freedom is more than financial.
You must pursue financial success with balance or risk everything you worked for in the process.
Here's the shocking reality… Those men became financially rich, but they lost everything.
Please share your thoughts in the comments below…
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Todd,
Thanks for the story. Sadly, this happens all too often. I have seen so many people sacrifice health, family and the day to day enjoyments of life for some transitory goal. For me, its not worth it.
Bill
@Bill – Great to hear from you. Thanks for joining in the discussion.
In 2000 I wrapped up a successful business consulting practice in order to save my family and sanity. I was working 80 hour weeks, didn’t know my young daughters and was in the process of losing my wife. I recommitted myself to my family and we moved to another city to start over. Since then I have been blessed with success again, except this time it’s within the context of a different set of rules – I have played a significant role in raising our daughters (they are turning out great – thank you) and have an unbelievable relationship with my wife. For my family to say “thank you for prioritizing us” … well, that’s success.
@ Dave – Wow! What a great and motivating story. I’m sure there are many who will read this and be impacted. Thank you for sharing.
@ Bridget – Thank you Bridget. I hope it makes a difference.
Todd, thanks for sharing. I will pass this article on to my s.o. who essentially works 7 days a week as partner in his firm. I hope he will read this and take note.
@Todd – Thanks … it is a great story! And to notch it up even more, we (the whole family) are launching a web based business that we are planning on growing together!
Todd,
A great reminder for us all.
Thanks!
Steve
@ Steve – Thank you for joining in the conversation.
Thanks Todd, great reminder. Sometimes pursuing an “important” goal we forget the most important things, even more, trying to get something only probable we loss something that we took it for granted and we notice (too late) that it was not so granted.
Wow. Great reminder. I am embarking on building my second business, but now that I have a 2-year-old, I need to mind my family (including my spouse) more intently & be conscious of imbalances. Losing your health, relationships or sanity is no price for extraordinary success.
Thank you Todd for sharing…..I needed this reminder.
Hi, Thanks for your great article. Actually, I think All these means is that instead of hiding from failure, insanely successful people anticipate and integrate failure into their lives in ways that transform it from an end into a means. We all love a good secret. But the truth is, when it comes to success, there’s no such thing. So start small, but start today. Wish you all the best.