Introduction
In most cases, a successful person is the one considered wealthy and of high profile in society. Most people aspire to lead a successful life but find it difficult, as they are not rich or famous. However, successful life is a satisfying life and entails not only being wealthy but also having good personal health and happiness. To achieve this, a good understanding of a balanced living, which involves good relationships with family members and friends, integrity, honesty, and hard work in one’s endeavors is necessary.
Successful people do not always lead successful lives. Family problems, health issues, and poor interpersonal relationships with other people among others prevent them from living a full life. Busy work schedules for top company managers mean that they have less time to spare for family, friends, and even for themselves; consequently, they do not lead a full life often associated with success.
On the other hand, people who find time to spend with family and friends often lead to happier and satisfying lives. The CEO’s suggestion that he would prefer to swap places with his gardener shows his desire to lead a successful satisfying life instead of a busy unsatisfying one.
Principles of a Successful Life
A successful and satisfying life is associated with having a positive life philosophy that focuses on all other aspects of success other than wealth and fame alone. The CEO describes the gardener as a man who works hard. Hard work improves one’s financial standing and provides a sense of satisfaction, which is important in living a full life. Laziness on the other hand leads to poverty and bars an individual from leading a successful life.
All successful people have one thing in common; they all worked hard to be successful in their careers and to achieve a high social standing. The gardener can balance family and work, which gives him a more satisfying life as he gets support and spousal support, a key element in personal life. His availability whenever his family needs him reduces family conflicts and builds greater integration leading to a more successful life. Work-family balance allows an individual to adapt to different roles and it provides satisfaction and better performance at work. A satisfying, healthy, and productive life includes not only work but also family love. Family conflicts on the other hand affect a person’s performance.
The desire to live a full life is everybody’s wish; however, work-related problems affect people’s life philosophy and goals or purpose in life. The gardener has an optimistic outlook on life while the CEO has challenges in the workplace that require difficult decision-making. His prospects of declining profitability of the organization also affect his outlook on life. This among other work-related issues deters him from achieving a satisfying life enjoyed by the gardener.
The gardener’s work may not be as stressful as life as a CEO for he can handle it successfully thus enjoying a better living which is desirable by everybody. Therefore, I think the CEO would agree to change places with the gardener because he has finally realized that one’s life does not consist of the abundance of material things he possesses.
Conclusion
Success does not necessarily warrant a satisfying happy life. To enjoy the fullness of life, one must do several things including hard work, good interpersonal relationships, work-family balance, and have a positive outlook towards life. If I were the CEO, I would agree to change places with the gardener because I want a satisfying life just like everyone else.