“For, in the end, it is impossible to have a great life unless it is a meaningful life. And it is very difficult to have a meaningful life without meaningful work.”
-Jim Collins
When was there a time in your professional life that you look back on and say, man, those were the days?
Where were you working? What were you working on, and who were you working with? What made that organization or team, or professional experience so rewarding?
We think about these questions when building our vision and driving our culture. It’s about people, not products or services, that make our company (and likely yours!) work. These questions challenge us to think about what we want to do and who we want to become – as a company and as individuals.
We want to build a business that gives people meaningful work from which to make a meaningful life.
But how I define success can’t define someone else’s success. So this week at mcfa university, I challenged our team to be intentional about how they define success. I encouraged them to reflect on where they are in their life and where they want to go.
I challenge you to do the same and think about the questions below. I’ve included some of my favorite quotes to help stoke your reflection.
How do you define success?
“Success is peace of mind which is a direct result of self-satisfaction in knowing you did your best to become the best you are capable of becoming.” -John Wooden
“Which two, among a thousand wise men, will define success in the same words; yet failure is always described but one way. Failure is man’s inability to reach his goals in life, whatever they may be.” -Og Mandino
How are you cultivating self-awareness?
“The unexamined life is not worth living.” -Socrates
“Whenever you are about to find fault with someone, ask yourself the following question: What fault of mine most nearly resembles the one I am about to criticize?” -Marcus Aurelius
Last, I challenge you to change the perspective of “your job” and tie it to how it serves others. Yes, some work is more evident in how we are serving the greater good. For example, I am proud of my time in uniform, yet I know that service to others exists outside of the military.
As leaders, it’s our responsibility and moral obligation to utilize our leadership platform to improve the world. We owe it to our teams, clients and partners to lead in a way that elevates and inspires. So, I leave you with two more quotes.
How are you serving others?
“The best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in the service of others.” -Mahatma Gandhi
“If you can’t feed a hundred people then feed just one.” -Saint Mother Teresa
BJ Kraemer, President