Wealth and achievement tell only part of the story. This six-part framework helps you evaluate relationships, impact, character, experiences, and more.
EXPERT OPINION BY SOREN KAPLAN, WSJ BESTSELLING AUTHOR, KEYNOTE SPEAKER, AND LEADERSHIP STRATEGY ADVISOR
Elon Musk is worth almost a trillion dollars. Bill Gates co-built Microsoft, one of the most successful companies in history. Oprah Winfrey went from poverty to becoming a billionaire and one of the most influential media figures in the world.
If money, access, power, and professional notoriety are the scorecard, these people have truly made it.
But that’s not necessarily the only way to measure “success.”
Clayton Christensen, the late Harvard Business School professor
Clayton Christensen, the late Harvard Business School professor who developed the theory of disruptive innovation, raised this issue in his classic article, How Will You Measure Your Life? One of his key messages was that people often devote their time and energy to whatever provides the most immediate and visible evidence of achievement.
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Careers provide short term measures quite well. You get promotions, raises, awards, and recognition, They’re quantifiable results.
Intangibles like quality relationships, however, don’t come with quarterly reports. Neither does character. Or supporting nonprofits or those in need. That’s where conventional scorecards fall short if you want a more holistic view of life success.
Build a Better Scorecard
Cornell psychologists Thomas Gilovich and Victoria Medvec studied how regret changes over time. Their research findings show that you might experience short term regret after you give harsh words to a friend or colleague. That’s normal.
Source: www.inc.com
