Kevin Yeanoplos–Director of Valuation Services for Brueggeman and Johnson Yeanoplos P.C.–spoke to the Profiles in Leadership class students recently about the importance of finding balance as they build their careers. Yeanoplos told students it is essential to look at their potential careers with a critical eye. Understanding their long-term goals will impact how they can find satisfaction in both work and play, he added.
Yeanoplos’ advice to find symmetry include:
Wherever you are, be who you are: It doesn’t matter who you are dealing with, or what situation you are in at the time, be genuine and authentic to yourself. Trying to be someone different will use more energy and distract from your sense of fulfillment.
Prioritize and learn to say no: There will always be events, meetings, and demands for your time. Remove the emotion from making your scheduling decisions and look at each thing objectively to determine if it’s helping you reach your long-term goals, helping your emotional or physical state, and/or helping you expand your perspective. Very likely, there are things which you will have to decline, and that’s alright.
Develop perspective and be grateful: Yeanoplos reminded students that there will always be people who have more, and people who have it worse off than them. Knowing your circumstances are fluid will allow you to stay focused on the bigger picture, he said. It will help you appreciate all you have while you drive toward the finish line.
Take some “me” time and learn to laugh: Everyone has a “thing,” Yeanoplos said. That “thing” is the passion which feeds your soul and gives you a break from the work grind. He says “no one has died from laughing too much.” Be joyful in your work, and enjoy the time away from work.
“The most important thing to remember,” he told the class, is that “it takes a very long time to become you.”