Happy Executive - with work-life balance
I recently worked with a truly happy executive in his 60s—calm, present, and surprisingly successful by all the usual standards. He has a strong vision, was recently promoted, is respected by his boss, team, and family, and genuinely feels grateful.
This stood out to me because many other leaders I work with feel out of control, constantly stressed, and not truly successful despite external achievements.
Here are 3 things I learned from this executive about achieving work-life balance:
1️⃣ Healthy Detachment He knows that work will be there tomorrow. He fully disconnects in the evenings, allowing him to be present with his family—short but high-quality moments.
2️⃣ “I Work for a Living, I Don’t Live for Work” He has hobbies—mentoring, biking, and building things with his hands. These passions pull him away from work and bring him joy and balance.
3️⃣ Role Modeling Balance He grew up with a parent who valued fun and living fully. Now he sees it as his role to model this mindset for his kids, who are happy to spend time with their parents because parents can be fun too.
Questions?
