THE EARNED LIFE Lose Regret, Choose Fulfillment by Marshall Goldsmith

by Marshall Goldsmith and Mark Reiter

Goldsmith is an executive coach. For years, I've admired is writings. Something about this book made me blanch. Maybe it's me fighting against its teachings. 

Goldsmith focuses on helping successful people become more successful. Emotionally, I don't want to be more successful in the next stage of my life. Part of me just wants to stop.

Having said that, I look at retirees who have busted stopped and I am not envious of them. 

So, how does Goldsmith urge us to build the life that we have earned? Some notes...

Understand yourself. Understand your Motivation (what drives you to get up in the morning), your Ability (having the aptitude and skills required to achieve a goal), your Understanding(knowing what to do and how to do it-- and what not to do) and your Confidence (The belief that you can accomplish what you set out to).

You also need Support (No one succeeds alone) and a receptive Market (People have to want you are offering)

Reduce your Choices. Focus on the wildly important. Create a process that drives the right thing for everything else. Alan Mulally's BPR is a great example of how to reduce choices and turn things into a process. You can apply a BPR to your life.

Six Factors that govern our sense of fulfillment in life:

• Achievement
• Engagement
• Happiness
• Meaning
• Purpose
• Relationships

Begin with basic questions. "What do I want to do with my life?" or "What can I do that's meaningful?" are not basic. "Where do I want to live?" is basic? "Can I afford this?" is basic. "Who are your heroes?"

Write down the names of your heroes.

Write down one-word descriptors of the values and virtues that endear you to them.

Cross out their names.

Write your names in their place.

Think Action/Ambition/Aspriation. Kind of like layered to-do lists...

Action... what you will do soon (today?)

Ambition... what you will do this quarter? Year?

Aspiration... what you want to be eventually.

Specialize. Find your one trick genius.

Foster relationships. Help people. Let them help your back. Don't be too business first.