The Non-Financial Investment That Can Dictate Your Success

Some factors that influence your success are out of your control.

You can’t change your height or birthday or birth order or a dozen tiny variables which can all impact your success.¹

But there’s one factor that radically impacts your financial and personal success that you can control. And it impacts everyone, regardless of their background or income…

That’s right. Relationships are critical predictors of your life success in every category.

A Harvard study followed hundreds of students and inner-city boys from the 1930s to the present. The emotional, financial, and physical well-being of the subjects were regularly examined for almost 80 years.

The results were stunning…

Loneliness was as deadly as smoking and drinking Stable relationships protect from memory loss² Men with warm relationships earned $150,000 annually on average than men without³

The takeaway is clear. The healthier your relationships, the greater your potential for achieving success.

Practically, that has implications…

1. Prioritize your family over your career. Don’t think that you’re doing your family and finances a favor by working long and stressful hours. Invest in the ones you love, and you might be surprised by the long-term career benefits.

2. Examine roadblocks to creating healthy relationships. High-quality friendships and marriages don’t fall into your lap. If you have a track record of complicated and dramatic relationships, seek to understand the cause. You may need to enlist the help of a mental health professional. It’s well worth the investment!

3. Seek mentors. They’re a source of perspective, encouragement, and can help to overcome your weaknesses. And unlike friends (who might be less objective), mentors can be completely devoted to helping you meet your goals.

Relationships aren’t always easy. Like your career, they require mindfulness, intention, and effort to succeed. But they’re well worth the time, attention, and sacrifice.

If you haven’t recently, take stock of your life satisfaction and relationship quality. Then, talk with a loved one or friend about steps you can take to make improvements going forward. It might just change your life.