Does Success Equal Happiness?
Being ambitious is a good thing, right? Well, that depends on just how intensely driven you are, according to new studies. Ambitious people (defined by Merriam Webster as people having an ardent desire for rank, fame or power) are not necessarily happier than their less-ambitious counterparts, and actually tend to live shorter lives, reveals the Journal of Applied Psychology. Being industrious is great, but it's important for your happiness - and health - to take time to stop and smell the roses.
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Ask yourself these questions:
After a major success (like a raise or promotion), do you automatically find yourself thinking 'OK, what's next?'
Are you succeeding in your career, but not in other areas of your life?
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If you answered yes to both, it may be time to seek more balance in your life. Get started with these two easy steps:
Start making lists! Write down everything that you're committed to both at work, and outside of the office. Then, put your list in order of what you have to do, what you want to do, what you like to do. Once you've got everything down on paper, it will be easier to decide which commitments are a good use of your time, and which you should consider scaling back.
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Once you sort out your priorities, make a promise to yourself to be proactive in the areas of your life that you've let fall to the wayside. Never had time to date? Make it a goal to sign up for a dating site. Keep blowing off pals for late nights at the office? Commit to making plans with friends at least once a week.
Creating a better balance in your life will reenergize and replenish you - and may actually help your career in the long run!
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