A way to measure our life

Let’s start on a light context…

Words are powerful. That’s why sometimes we come across a book which holds the power to change our perspective towards our goal and life. It put us in a rethinking mode. It may change our thought process or may reaffirm our value system. My last read fulfils the latter aspect (value reaffirmation). ?

What intrigued me to read this book?

The book title is “How will you measure your life?” by Clayton Christensen, J. Allworth, and K. Dillon. The factor which pulled me towards this book were –

• First, the title itself focuses on the most critical question any individual would ask himself.
• Second, the approach of this book, which offers a series of guidelines for meaningful and happy life as drawn from business research. As research is involved, it increases trust in findings.

What inspired the author to write this masterpiece?

The author got inspiration from a series of REUNIONS of his class batch from his alma mater, Harvard Business School.

He observed that in the initial reunions, everyone had much to celebrate – great jobs, working in exotic locations and better-looking spouses.

But then the observation changed. By the tenth reunion, there were cases of absentees, numerous stories of divorces or unhappy marriages and few who separated from their family. Even though they were one of the brightest and decent people poised for the happiest life, the case was OPPOSITE.

And things were getting worse. By thirtieth reunion, one of his classmates – Jeffrey Skilling – landed in jail for Enron scandal.

This motivated him to dig deep into WHY people with the smartest mind and successful career succumb to a life of despair. This book is the result of this in-depth analysis.

What’s for me?

This book offers the right set of questions to ask before choosing career such as –

• Is this work meaningful to me?
• Is this job going to give me a chance to develop?
• Am I going to learn new things?
• Will I have an opportunity for recognition and achievement?

The second insight was on relationships.

It relates relationship with the ticking clock. Relationships are an aspect which requires long-term investment of time, effort, and energy and doesn’t offer instant gratification (unlike career progression where growth is visible in terms of promotion and salary hike). Considering all, relationships still hold the tag of the best investment for personal well-being and happiness. Hence, it is recommended to focus on building meaningful relations with your family and friends before it’s too late.

For me, this insight was just a reminder to stay on track (or reaffirm my value system). ??

In a nutshell, focus on your WHY of life and build great relationships. The least we can do is to give our best on these two fronts.

I believe this book is a must read for anyone who is grappling everyday with the difficult maze of life. Hoping to implement the learnings in my life.

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