What happens in a career, relationship or life in general all can be set in how well you have planned your happiness. Yes, ‘happiness’ is something you can plan for with your intentions, integrity, and most importantly setting/directing your ‘purpose’ in life to be happiness. And, I’m not talking about that which you may believe comes from material things. Those temporary-satisfiers that quickly fade, and certainly can’t be taken with you when you die. And, again ‘Yes,’ it does take work to keep on that ‘happiness’ track as the years go by, and the temptations that may come to diverge ‘Just this once’ to a short-cut or quickie-exception to your integrity rule.

Truly, most people don’t plan on failure in whatever area(s) of their life:  divorce(s), alienated children, fraud in business or simply poor health. One can be successful without creating all those negatives, it takes keeping your purpose front and center in your life – day in and day out.

It is amazing what one can accomplish when they stick to something! Call it whatever you want:  stick–to–itiveness – dogged perseverance – tenacity – persistence. We’ve got enough words for it, you’d think people would apply some of them in their lives. But again, it takes work.

Your decisions about allocating your time, energy and talent are shaped from your personal strategy of bringing and keeping happiness in your life. Many of us get our direction-beliefs from our family, mentor, faith – whatever one you choose – or basics of our culture. As we mature, our business prospects need to share time with our spouse, family/children, community and even some personal time for ourselves. It is the same twenty-hours/seven days a week, but it has to be more carefully divided and given priorities. Kids, their education and your involvement is not really something you say or believe that you can put off to a more convenient time. On the other hand, if you want that loving spouse to be around after the kids are on their own, you might want to think about the time given to them daily. How shortsighted have you been?

The ‘biggie’ that creeps up over the years is your balance of work and play. Many people are better these days in recognizing one cannot go from the rat-race to the Lazyboy chair, and not have some issues – especially health related. You must think about your allocation of your choices now – daily or the ‘ugly’ side of life will be staring you in the face. All that money, or status or stuff and a zillion days of vacation not taken, and you now have a family that no longer speaks to each other. This is when you realize that your life did not turn out the way you intended. Turning these ‘hollow’ lives around can be more of a challenge than many are up to, or even want to face. How many times and examples do you need before you learn that money is not the answer to all things. Expecting it to be your panacea is more than just a wasted life.

Think about all those extra times you spent on work, instead of heading out the door to be with your family. NO, they won’t give you a raise or even acknowledge your brilliance in your work,

but checking in might help it all from deteriorating behind your back. Yes, you may tell yourself that you are putting in all this time at work for them. Have you asked yourself, or them how better you could serve them with your presence? How well do you really know what your children are interested in? Or for that fact, your spouse? – in their job, their interests, even their health? They can be the most powerful source of enduring happiness for you to have that long, happy, healthy life. That has been proven by science – over and over again.

What is the culture in your family – loving, respectful, cooperative, handle change well? That doesn’t just happen – that takes involvement of all, on a regular basis. Which means consistency, as to the participation of all. What this means is no matter what the extenuating circumstances, some things you don’t let pass you by – even if ‘just this once.’ This means you do what you say you’re going to do no matter what, as there is power in a promise, even if you are running late. So, a line is not crossed, lies are not told or short-cuts taken. The little things done right, add-up to true Empowerment – continually practiced as the things you stand for.