Career Sustainability: How Will You Measure Your Life?

Most people in my industry say they fell into it by accident. For me, it was a deliberate choice, because of the purpose that underlies my profession. Solving complex problems together with clients and creating opportunities for people to accelerate their careers is highly satisfying to me. The hidden treasure trove of leadership lessons and constant learning are what keep me engaged. 

 For those who know me well, you know that I like to set a challenging goal (whether it’s athletic, career or personal) and chip away at it until it’s done. This year marked such a milestone in my career when I achieved and overshot the seven figure revenue target I set for myself. For me, this goal demanded a similar amount of focus and determination as building up to a full marathon would. And whilst the engraved trophy my company gave me was a really nice acknowledgment, actually it was the lessons from the pain, sweat and tears (yes, there really were tears) that made the journey all the more formative and fun for me. 

 As any competitive athlete knows, there is a certain anti-climax and reflection that happens after the post-race adrenaline and endorphins fade.

What now? Can I beat my “personal best” again? Is this sustainable? What am I (not) willing to sacrifice to achieve this?

 I decided to approach these questions by reflecting on the journey this goal took me on and defining what sustainable success looks like to me. 

 1. It Takes a Village

First of all, there is no way I could have made this goal happen without a team. Working hard until I achieve results for clients is a non-negotiable given for me. But I learned that motivating others to go that extra mile for the client with me was not always as effortless as my bosses had made it look! 

 I also had to learn to be patient and give others the space to make mistakes and learn from them. Being a leader to me always meant never throwing your team under the bus, even when things get uncomfortable. I’m glad to say that even under pressure, I held fast to this principle. 

2. Cash in Your Chips... After All You Earned Them 

Women are often reluctant to negotiate for what they need: whether it’s a raise, flexible working hours or an office. Achieving the million dollar milestone gave me the courage to ask for what I felt I deserved (spoiler alert: it was all of the above). It felt good to assert myself. Even better, when they gave it to me without even hesitating. It made me wonder whether I could have asked for more resources sooner! 

 3. There will be Haters, Be Kind Anyway

I have a sign in my office that says “Be Kind and Make Good Choices” because it reminds me that I cannot always control circumstances, but I always have a choice as to how I respond to them. For me, delivering results was not an overnight thing. I chose to take risks, trust people I hardly knew and say “yes” to a lot of things that held a great deal of ambiguity. It often meant committing to long hours, giving up weekends and working on holidays. 

When it paid off, there were some people who focused on why they deserved success more than I did, rather than why their choices led to a different result. 

I chose not to let that stop me from being kind to them anyway, because I believe success is not a zero sum game. Someone else’s success doesn’t make me less successful. I choose to live by this, regardless of whether others do too. 

 4. Pay It Forward

I have worked with a number of impressive leaders in my life, but some have been particularly inspirational. They continue to be individuals that I consider myself blessed to have as mentors. A part of me always wondered why they were so generous with their time and advice. 

Recently, I started to mentor three super smart and capable women. Now, I get it. There is something amazing that happens when someone trusts you with sharing their journey with you. Helping someone see the possibilities before them, and watching them realize their potential, is profoundly rewarding.  

 5. Remember the Long Game

I make it a habit to have breakfast and dinner with my family. No matter what night calls I have to jump on or how many reports I write on weekends, family meals anchor my day. My husband recently shared with me that our daughters want to “be a business woman like mama” when they grow up. To me, that’s the best acknowledgement of success there is: when the two girls I am trying so hard to be a good parent and role model to, despite the crazy hours, see my career not as something that takes me away from them, but as something they want to emulate. 

So when a new financial year rolls on and nobody cares about how good that last year was, this is ultimately how I define success: a life well lived and people I care about well loved. Of course beating my personal best would be great too. But, it will never come at the price of compromising my values. 

If you have been thinking about how you want to measure success sustainably, I really recommend reading How Will You Measure Your Life by Clayton M Christiansen (the link is to the executive summary, but you can google the book). I hope it inspires you to define what will make you look back on a life well led.