Whether you are a #millennial that grew up with loving parents encouraging every moment or a #GenXer like me who grew up as a latch-key kid and a part of the “slacker” generation, it doesn’t really matter.
There is — and always will be — a certain level of selfishness that is required to be successful and happy. But there is another part too. It’s the selfless part of you.
What I have recently learned through reading a few books and engaging in mediation is so easy to understand, yet it seems to escape many of us due to the “hustling” and “side-gigging” we are focusing on.
Specifically, it’s not about all my use cases, what I am knowledgeable about. It’s about my usefulness.
Am I useful in life?
Am I useful to my family?
Am I useful to my friends?
Am I useful to my work, organization, upper management, peers or direct reports?
I am not suggesting being submissive. I am suggesting making sure that I provide value to myself, and most importantly, to others. For me, this has become the essence of a Work / Life Balance. Engaging and encouraging myself to be better, act better, and provide support. This is what makes me a special-fucking-snowflake.
