Corporate Success?

Lots of people live in Fantasyland when thinking about “success”….

One of the key takeaways from articles on leaving “Korporate Amerika” and going to a do-your-own-thing environment is that when you work in a large, corporation, your salary/benefits are usually much higher than if you go into an ostensibly soul-satisfying job. Many people who’ve made this transition have told me: “Money isn’t everything.” To that, I say “True; money isn’t everything. But when you need it, the lack of money is everything.”

Success is not merely financial gain, although many people mistakenly believe it is. Neither is it a matter of ego-boost or acquiring power, although some people are indeed motivated by being the proverbial “big fish.”

At the end of it all, a truly worthwhile life is one based on meaning, on feeling needed in important ways. Lots of folks say, “Well, I made my contribution through my job.” Wrong. You make your living through your job; you make your life through doing things to make this a better world.

Many talk about the need for “work-life balance.” Nonsense. There’s no such thing. If you want to do something well, there’s always a need for commitment to it. Half-assing your job, your family, your friendships, your faith, are sure-fire ways to fail.