How are you?
Your answer to this question reveals more about your future success and well-being than any strategic plan.
We often wear busyness as a badge of honor. Ask ten people how they are doing, and nine out of ten times the answer will be, “busy.”
That’s not the way things ought to be.
What if instead of answering, “Busy,” your answer was, “I’m well rested and feeling great!” Or “You know, despite all the chaos in the world, I am peaceful and content.” Or “Very productive and happy, thank you!”
Is this some unattainable utopian vision reserved for the sweet by and by?
I don’t think so.
While it’s true there are bad days and difficult seasons, we might be missing something crucial about success itself. The truth is, that we’ve been sold a dangerous myth about what success is and what achievement requires.
Four Signs of Sustainable Success
Sustainable success—making a difference through your work and thriving in life—isn’t marked by perpetual busyness or overwhelm. Instead, it reveals itself through four distinct markers:
#1 – Relational Harmony
You are emotionally intelligent, aware of your own feelings and the feelings of those around you, and able to practice active listening—truly listening to the people around you so they feel heard and understood. Your relationships energize rather than drain you. Conversations with your partner flow naturally. Your kids don’t feel like another item on your to-do list. You have genuine friendships that go beyond networking. When conflicts arise, you handle them with responsive tact rather than reactive anger.
#2 – A Non-anxious Presence
You’re not living in constant fight-or-flight mode. Sleep comes easily and stays consistent. Rather than feeling a constant buzz of underlying anxiety, you maintain a non-anxious presence even under pressure. You can distinguish between productive stress and destructive anxiety. You feel mentally and emotionally healthy.
#3 – Joyful Acceptance
Your personal life and work life aren’t at war with each other. There is a joyful acceptance of limits and boundaries and an unwillingness to violate them for short-term gain. You don’t feel torn between competing values or priorities. Instead, different areas of your life work together in harmony. Work-life integration isn’t just a good idea—it’s essential for lasting impact and personal well-being.
#4 – Strong and Healthy
Obesity rates of U.S. adults now range between 40-70%—up from around 13% in the 1960s. Sustainable success means you take care of your body, eat well, and are healthy and strong. It’s nearly impossible to thrive if your body is unhealthy.
Your Catalyst Moment
The path to achievement isn’t always about pushing harder or work-life balance – it’s about finding a rhythm in the most important areas of life and integrating the right elements into a cohesive whole. You can make a difference in the world without sacrificing your well-being. When you embrace these four markers, you won’t just perform better—you will create a foundation that can weather any storm.
Which of these four markers of sustainable success is strongest in your life right now? Where do you see the greatest opportunity for growth? What’s one small step you could take in the next 24-48 hours to move toward greater integration?
Choose one area of your life that feels fragmented. Spend 15 minutes tomorrow morning identifying one specific action you can take to bring greater harmony to that area.
Until next time,
Kent
*Photo by Jason Goodman on Unsplash
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