How to enjoy your life? It sounds like an enigma doesn’t it? A life of purpose and success requires hard work, focus, good judgment, and resilience. Getting help and seeking good guidance are essential. But whatever path you take, it’s impossible to endure the ups and downs of life without seeking satisfaction as well.
We have always counseled our clients to create the life-work integration that works for them. For everyone, but especially high performers, it’s dangerous to neglect what you need to feel balanced and conditioned. Foregoing a social life, forsaking friends and family, abandoning exercise, etc. is risky. Many have fallen victim to addictions, burnout, and other physical and mental health issues resulting from an “all work and no play” ethic. And if this happens to you, then the way you’re working has taken you off track from your goals. Another way to put this, taking care of yourself, which involves having fun, is an essential part of meeting your career goals, even if at first that concept feels counterintuitive.
An article published in The Muse, ponders this challenge. The first insight about how to approach career goals is to be realistic, especially when deciding on your path. Consider how you will organize this goal into an action plan and how that will play out in your life. Ask yourself, how much are you willing to sacrifice?
Try to set upper and lower limits of your goals when evaluating how this will affect your current path and lifestyle. Understand as clearly as possible what is required to succeed in the field in front of you. Seek guidance and advice from people who know. Consider the facts and make an honest evaluation of your goals. That is an important step to finding meaning and enjoyment on a career path.
Embrace the challenge of planning a balanced life. We suggest you incorporate self-care into your weekly life. For example, hanging out with friends, going on adventures like taking hikes or exploring new-to-you areas, getting a massage, or trying a new sport. Healthy people with robust careers make sure they are also scheduling in the fun things that feed their restoration and bring them inspiration. Put it into your schedule like you would anything else. Act like it’s a requirement for your success.
Finally, we have provided lists in the past of things you can do in a new city to meet people and have fun. Whether you are new in a city or not, you can use this to think about how to incorporate what you need to feel alive as you pursue your important career goals. What matters is that you take seriously the importance of enjoyment while seeking the goals you believe will ultimately lead to greater happiness.
The late famed tennis player Arthur Ashe once said, “Success is a journey, not a destination. The doing is often more important than the outcome.” Let this inspire you to create a life and career that you enjoy.
Want more advice on how to enjoy your life? The coaches at Ignite Your Potential are here to help. Reach out and take advantage of our complimentary 25-minute phone sessions.
Ready to shift into overdrive? Try our new Career Course, designed to help find an engaging, fun, and fulfilling career.