When in doubt or at cross-roads….

We, as managers and, above all, as human beings, face various situations in our professional lives that define us. No one can honestly say that leading a team and having an important role in an organisation is easy, or always rosy.

I don’t believe in work-life balance; I believe in work-life harmony. A distinct difference between the two is that the latter portrays a situation in which the two aspects of life can coexist in harmony. In contrast, the work-life balance is merely a politically correct saying that doesn’t even exist. You cannot put work and life in a balance, left and right, white or black; it cannot work. Why? Whatever happens at work or at home will affect our mood, our day, and our decision-making. We are not machines, programmed with an on/off switch that lets us decide when and what our minds think about. That is why both aspects of life must not compete with each other but live in harmony when possible, complementing each other without putting up barriers. If we manage to achieve this harmony, that is when you truly achieve a sense of serenity in life.

This is not an easy task. This requires a lot of background work; important decisions that, although hard to make, need to be carried out. In times when we feel tired, exhausted, lost, and unsure which road to take to make things work, this is when we define ourselves. Do we endure such difficulties, or do we fight back?

Passion and resilience. Two words, often used as a cliché. To me, they aren’t.

I, too, go through the difficult moments as mentioned above; what really makes me change course and plan how to resolve the situation is resilience, but most of all, passion. It is so important that you love what you do. You must wake up in the morning with the energy, motivation, and willingness to face the day with the intention of making things better. Does motivation fade over time? A bit, yes, it's normal. Does it go away completely? If there is passion in what you do, no.

The morning feeling. Ask yourself, what is the first feeling when you wake up in the morning? Dreading going to work, or thinking of going to another day of work with the intention of making things better? If the latter, there’s passion. If the former, you will most likely fail.

It is not only important to love the job you do, but it is the only thing that matters. The rest will come. A good salary, a great career progression, harmony that leads to a healthy lifestyle, and yes, even when you are at a crossroads or in doubt, you will make it work, you will make it better, and you will succeed.