We all want to be high performers not only in our careers but our lives as well. The High Performance Habits by Brendon Burchard is one of the best books I have read on this subject. There were 10 distinct categories of life that he says are important for us to audit and see where we are at. Here they are with my take on each.
Family– A strong family life improves every other area of life. Some of the richest people sometimes seem to say they haven’t spent much time building their family. I think before we reach the end of our lives we want to ensure we have a strong well-knit family.
Friends — It is not the number of friends that matter as much as how good they are. So, having a few close friends with whom we can confide is a great stress buster.
Health — Everyone’s health situation is different. Of course, there are specific health conditions which require special attention. However, this portion of the article is barring any health conditions we can make the most of what we have. Unless you are full of energy it is very difficult for you to create a world class life. To accomplish everything, you want in life being in excellent health enables you to have higher energy to accomplish more. First requirement for health is to get adequate sleep. Sleep researchers have confirmed that everyone requires at least 7–8 hours of sleep daily. Keep this in mind and design your work schedule to ensure you get this requirement of sleep. Second you need to have a consistent exercise program to stay energetic. There are so many health benefits from exercise that we owe it to ourselves to stay fit. Third we need to be careful about our diet and eat lots of vegetables and fruits. None of these steps are rocket science but simple things are hard to implement. Of course, any health program should be undertaken with the help of your doctor.
Relationships — Having strong relationships in both our personal arena and official is necessary to have lasting fulfillment. In that way we are all relationship managers in our lives. Always remember it is more important to be in the relationship than win an argument and lose the relationship.
Mission– Without a mission it is very difficult to be excited about life. A few years back I defined my mission as “My mission is to maximise my potential and help others maximise theirs.” This has driven me to read, learn, write and share whatever I have learned. It has also helped me feel excited nearly every single day which the biggest gift from having a mission. Stephen Covey mentioned this way back in 1989 with his habit “Begin with the End in Mind” and I think that is still valid today as it was then. Figure what you really want your life to stand for and you will automatically be excited about life. This requires some soul searching and serious introspection. Taking the time to define your mission will be a very valuable use of your time.
Finances — To achieve well rounded success some amount of financial planning is required. The key as mentioned in the book “The Richest Man in Babylon” is pay yourself first. Saving is a key financial habit and the more you save the more secure you feel. Of course, discussing with a financial adviser may also be a promising idea.
Adventure — There is a reason vacations are there. When you take a vacation and disconnect form your work you come back renewed to even work better. Vacations can also be a valuable time to connect with your dear ones. We really don’t need exotic vacations, but the best thing is don’t schedule every minute of your vacation. Have some free time to make the vacation count. Of course, some people have a lot of adventure in their life to do parasailing or sky diving.
Hobbies — All successful people have interesting hobbies. Einstein liked sailing, playing violin and many others liked to play an instrument as well. Personally, for me reading and writing are hobbies. When I do that I feel fulfilled. You need to find hobbies that you are passionate about and do them every week. This will keep you energized.
Spirituality — Everyone has their own definition of what spirituality. To me it is all about finding inner peace and staying cheerful. So, you can find a definition that works for you.
Emotion — This is all about managing your emotions. Emotional self-awareness is very necessary to win big in life. Unless we know ourselves thoroughly we will not be able to create the life we want. So, we should all take the time to really understand why we feel the way we do and then understand our limitations. This can be achieved through a thorough self-analysis using a journal. Only if you know yourself can you really understand what you want your life to stand for. You must know from the depth of your heart what you want in your life and why you want it. This would be a great step towards greater self-fulfillment as well.
All these are simple ideas but if we do apply some of these ideas we will be creating a life that we are proud of at the end of our lives. Thanks for reading this post.
The views expressed here are my own and do not represent my organization.