#61 Balancing the three pillars of life

A weekend or holiday with friends and family is typically going to be seen as time well spent.

However, returning from such breaks can sometimes bring a feeling of being off-track, particularly regarding habits and goals. You might feel weighed down by a lack of progress and return with a need to get back ‘on track’.

High achievers with ambitious goals are used to tracking progress, seeing output, and consulting data, and so when that is absent for a few days, it can feel like progress has stalled.

However, progress continues to be made in other aspects of life during these periods; the only difference is that progress is related to intangible aspects of life.

Social connection and romantic relationships are some of the most important aspects of life, but because we can’t quantify ‘progress’ in them, we don’t always recognise their true value.

A happy, successful life requires balance across three foundational pillars: health, wealth, and relationships. Spending time on the latter can detract from the former two, but what is happening is the three are becoming more balanced.

That is not to say that they should always be in balance. At times, it will be necessary to prioritise a particular pillar at the expense of another in pursuit of growing the overall pie.

Recognising and being comfortable with this ebb and flow can make creating sustainable growth across the three pillars easier.

The net result of more balanced growth over the long term should be a happier and, thus, more successful life.

Best, Alex Joshi.

On my bedside table:

• Blogpost: A few thoughts on spending money, by Morgan Housel (link)

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