4 Ways to Have Both a Successful Career – and a Life

Tatiana Dudyez was a success. She turned her small startup into a $50 million business and things were only looking up. There was just one problem: the rest of her life was a mess. She was so wrapped up in her career that her family, her social life, and even her health took a backseat. Something had to give.

That’s when she decided she needed a change. In that moment, she knew others were probably struggling with the same thing. Today, Tatiana is a strategic performance advisor and coach for high-achieving individuals, business partners, and corporations.

If you want to find the balance between your career and your life, she has 4 ways to get started:

1. Be open to relearning

When Tatiana decided to make a change, it wasn’t easy. Her entire identity was wrapped up in her career. The difference was, she was willing to relearn how to approach life.

The first thing to acknowledge is that what got you to this point in your career probably won’t help you going forward.

The late nights, long hours, and sacrifices to other areas of your life have probably been rewarded at work. Now, they’re a habit. To make lasting change you need let go of old habits and relearn how to be successful. It may not look the same, but it’ll be worth it.

2. Start where you are

A quick Google search on the subject of work-life balance will probably lead to a list of courses, books, and articles aimed to help. There’s plenty of great resources out there, but as you explore, keep one thing in mind:

Your journey is unique to your story, your beliefs, and your identity.

These are the aspects of your life that got you to where you are today. And where you are today is probably not the same as the person sitting next to you at your support group or dispensing advice to the masses.

Instead of trying to fit into a certain program or system, start where you are and work from there.

3. Explore who you are

Do you wear a mask? No, I’m not talking about a COVID-19 protective face mask. Chances are, you put on a mask at work that hides a portion of who you really are. But who you are follows you everywhere you go.

Here’s a stat: 65% of business startups fail because of partnership dynamics. No matter how hard you try, you bring your personal baggage and expectations with you. So does everyone else. Depending on the circumstances, this can be detrimental to any sort of relationship, work included.

When you bring your past into the present it makes it difficult to define your future.

The solution to this really isn’t that hard. Take to time to explore who you are – both past and present. This may mean talking to a professional who can help. When you’re more comfortable with who you are, your past will have less power over what’s to come.

4. Realign your values

Your values are the gatekeepers of the space you create around you. When those values are misaligned, you’ll struggle to find true success. Like Tatiana, you may look like you have it all at work, but the rest of your life tells a different story.

Ask yourself a few questions:

• Who do I want to work with?
• Who do I want to spend more time with?
• Who do I want to be to those I love?

If the answers don’t match your current reality, they probably don’t align with your values, either. Adjust your patterns and you’ll start to see a change to how you feel about your success. Over time, you won’t be the only one to notice.