Cultivating Business Fulfillment Through Effort

Many of you are familiar with my interest in applying Stoic principles to the business environment. While I don't claim to offer anything extraordinary (in fact there is no doubt about this), I do enjoy sharing these insights from time to time.

Something to consider: if your happiness relies solely on achieving specific business objectives, what happens when circumstances beyond your control come into play? What if a key project can't be executed as planned, or your efforts go unrecognized despite meeting targets? Placing your happiness in external outcomes can be quite risky!

Imagine a business professional obsessed with external validation. Someone who is constantly seeking approval from superiors or chasing promotions regardless of the consequences. This mindset often leads to disappointment and frustration. On the other hand, those who find fulfillment in their work, those who are giving their best effort regardless of recognition, tend to have genuine satisfaction. We should take satisfaction in our actions and the process itself, all while understanding that in the business world, outcomes are often prioritized. However, true fulfillment comes from the dedication and effort we put into our work. The recognition should simply be a much welcome bonus (maybe even literally)!

Let's be careful to avoid tying our goals to external recognition, but instead to make meaningful contributions and uphold our values. Let's redirect our attention towards how we handle challenges and setbacks, instead of being frustrated by circumstances that are out of our control. If we can focus on this mindset, it will allow us to experience contentment and PAVE (a little pun for my ACERTUS folks) the way for success in our professional pursuits.

As always - thanks for reading.