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Image:marcos-paulo-prado for Unsplash
Life in the fast track can really suck too. I’m talking about life under constant pressure with the demands and responsibilities that go with it. Cell phone always buzzing, emails piling up, full agenda, putting out fires, from early morning until midnight. You can work so hard to get to the top but once you are there, life is far from easy. Money does not at all solve all your problems. You are now in-charge on. You are the boss you always wanted to be. People count on you, look up to you, follow you. Add parenthood to the mix and you get bonus points for being officially VERY busy! You feel scrutiny from all sides.
Insecurity and doubt whispers in your ear. No matter how successful you become, there is always someone better than you.
There are ups and downs. One day you feel like you are crushing it and the next day you can’t sleep because you are sure your partner is cheating on you or you may be thinking of cheating on your partner or you are insecure about a work deal or something else that you can’t get out of your head! You need to let off steam because your life is just so crazy intense some days. But you really don’t have anyone to talk to. After all, your reputation is so important to you that you don’t want to take the risk to let anyone know you don’t have it all together. And even the one you trust most may not ‘get’ it. The worst things they could possibly say are “(For women:) Maybe you are already hitting menopause.” “Sounds like a mid-life crisis.”, Or “You’ve got this!”. Sound familiar? I can’t wait to tell you about The SASSY Method ™!
So what are the things you need to succeed AND be happy? Here is my NO-BS APPROACH.
It all boils down to 4 elements:
1. Who you are
2. What you want
3. What you do
4. Who you know
Let’s go into each element for more clarity.
1. WHO YOU ARE is really about your core values and beliefs, good or bad, that make up your identity. Most people think they have healthy self-awareness until we start working together and they realize they’ve been living with imposter syndrome all these years or are still suffering from a past trauma from years ago that is actually affecting their decisions today. It could be anything, from holding them back in their career potential to picking the wrong partners. Breaking news: Even the strongest, most intelligent and driven leaders are human underneath.
2. WHAT YOU WANT has to be realistic and in-line with your core values, purpose, and heart. The higher your goal, the more time and effort will be required. I’m not saying not to pursue your big dreams but, if you are struggling with doing too much, pick some low-hanging fruit first that you know you have the expertise already to work in and can celebrate a quick win. You can (and should) work towards your dream but think of it more as long-term and until you have a solid client base and/or a real financial plan, consider starting off your dream plan as a side hustle. Also, ask yourself if your goal is really your goal and not your ego talking. If your ambition comes from insecurity or trying to prove something to yourself, it will just burn you out from the inside more and even when you do achieve it, it will never be enough. Another important point: it goes without saying that you should be pursuing something you actually want to do, not feel pressured to do by someone else! Life coaches can help find clarity around this issue.
3. WHAT YOU DO is the key to it all. Having a clear head, daily plan of action, good habits, and a results-driven strategy is the only way to guaranteed success. If you have a bad strategy or even worse, no strategy, don’t expect to get far. “Don’t leap before you look.” is a great saying. Plan first, tweak, then execute. Organization helps reduce stress and increase productivity. Self-care MUST be planned into your success strategy. Life coaches can help you plan a more balanced, healthy strategy.
4. WHO YOU KNOW. Never underestimate the power of networking! Your network is your net worth! The people you surround yourself with are who you become. Make sure you are in the right crowd to lift you up, not pull you down. This includes 3 types of people I highly recommend surrounding yourself with:
- Core Team: This includes your family and friends who cheer you on and who are so proud of you. They make all the efforts worth it.
- Business Mentors, Sponsors, and Coaches who you can look up to and admire and learn from. They will guide you through the toughest times because they know EXACTLY what you are going through and how to keep you on track
- Support Team: This includes your trusted employees and assistants and other help in your life (Disclaimer: Everyone needs help, but especially people with high-pressure jobs)!
Note: This is not the reality for everyone but getting rid of toxic people and knowing how to attract and keep positive people in your life is a prerequisite for success and a topic for another day.
Life can be amazing and incredible at the top but you must remember that you too are still only human. I give you permission to mess up some days or not feel like being social at all. And despite your value of leadership and success habits, I even encourage you on some days to just call in sick, stay in your PJs, and enjoy a self-care day without getting anything done! Your team will manage without you once in a blue moon. And you can save the world tomorrow! But first, we need to save you.
With my self-help program, The SASSY Method, my goal is to create an international movement of support and motivation to help successful people avoid or recover from burnout and design the lives they want. It’s all about Happiness in the end. You can reach material goals but they are no guarantee of happiness and sometimes the price you pay is not worth it because you have to give up things much more valuable in the end. The secret is designing a life around your VALUES, PURPOSE, SKILLS, and HEART. Download my free Happiness Cheatsheet, join my community and, if you want to get more articles like this, please subscribe to my Seriously SASSY newsletter.
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