How Will You Measure Your Life?
Clayton M. Christensen, James Allworth, Karen Dillon
16 min
7 Key Points
4.6 RateWhat's inside?
Explore the key principles of success and fulfillment, and learn how to apply them to your personal and professional life for a more meaningful existence.
You'll learn
1. What does success look like outside of work?2. How to stick to your guns and keep your integrity?3. Juggling work goals and personal happiness - how?4. Why should you care about your relationships?5. Using business smarts in your personal life - how?6. How does purpose and motivation make life better?Key points
01Got a life plan? Stick to it for a satisfying career
Let's think of life as a journey. You start at one point, and you have a destination in mind. Maybe you want to be a successful business owner, a famous scientist, or a respected artist. The question is, how do you get from where you are now to where you want to be? You need a roadmap, a plan, or in simpler terms, a strategy. But here's the thing, your strategy isn't just about the big stuff, like which university to go to or what job to take. It's also about the little things you do every day, like how you spend your time and where you put your energy. These small choices can make a big difference in your journey. Think of it like this: you have a certain amount of resources - your time, your energy, and your skills. How you use these resources determines the route you take towards your goal. Let's say you want to be a writer, but you spend all your free time watching TV instead of writing. That's not a good use of your resources, is it? Life also has a way of throwing curveballs at us. Sometimes, these are good surprises, like bumping into someone who could be a great mentor, or getting a job offer in a field you love. Other times, they're challenges, like getting sick or facing a financial crisis. How you react to these unexpected events can change your path in big ways. The important thing to remember is that your life strategy isn't set in stone. It changes over time, shaped by your priorities, how you respond to life's surprises, and how you use your resources. By actively managing this strategy, you can guide your life towards your goals, which can lead to a more satisfying career. The book provides a bunch of theories and research to help you create and manage your life strategy. By using these ideas, you can improve your chances of finding happiness and fulfillment in your life and career. So, take some time to think about your strategy. It could make all the difference.
02What drives you in your job? Focus on that for a rewarding career
Let's talk about what makes a job truly satisfying. You might think it's all about the paycheck, the title, or the corner office. But according to a theory by psychologist Frederick Herzberg, there's more to it than that. Herzberg splits job satisfaction into two parts: hygiene factors and motivation factors. Hygiene factors are the things you can see and touch, like your salary, job security, and working conditions. They're the things that people often associate with success. Imagine you're a top executive at a big company. You've got a fat paycheck, a fancy title, and a swanky office. These are all hygiene factors. They're the shiny, visible signs of success. But if you focus only on these, you might find yourself in a never-ending cycle of dissatisfaction. You might think the next promotion or pay raise will make you happy, but once you get it, you might still feel unsatisfied and want more. It's like running on a treadmill – you're moving, but you're not really getting anywhere. Motivation factors, on the other hand, are the things that really make you love your job. They're the less visible, internal aspects of a job, like challenging work, responsibility, recognition, and opportunities for personal growth. Think about a teacher. They might not earn as much as the executive, and their working conditions might not be as plush. But they find joy in the challenging task of shaping young minds, the responsibility of guiding students, the recognition they get when their students succeed, and the personal growth they experience through continuous learning and improvement. These motivation factors make the teacher love their job, despite the lack of a high salary or prestigious title. So, what's the takeaway here? If you want a fulfilling career, you should focus more on your motivation factors rather than hygiene factors. Sure, hygiene factors are important to prevent dissatisfaction, but they alone can't make you truly love your job. It's like having a car – having enough fuel is necessary to keep the car running, but it's the destination that really matters. In the same way, while a good salary and working conditions are necessary, it's the motivation factors that truly bring fulfillment in a career. So, it's important to figure out what your motivation factors are. By doing this, you can find true fulfillment in your career, no matter how much you earn or what your job title is. This approach frees you from the endless chase of external signs of success and lets you focus on what really matters – finding joy and fulfillment in your work.
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03Balance your dreams with a dash of luck for a solid life plan
04Making a big life choice? Be sure your expectations are grounded
05A plan without action is just a wish
06Nurture your relationships for a happier future
07Conclusion
About Clayton M. Christensen, James Allworth, Karen Dillon
Clayton M. Christensen was a Harvard Business School professor, renowned for his disruptive innovation theory. James Allworth is a strategy expert and entrepreneur. Karen Dillon, former editor of Harvard Business Review, is a corporate and personal development author. They co-authored "How Will You Measure Your Life?".
