As I began to write this month?s newsletter, the resignation, then leave of absence for Coach Urban Meyer at the University of Florida became headline news on the sports pages. As a graduate of the University of Florida, I had more than just a passing interest in the story. As I reflect on the information that is public about the Meyer?s situation, it is not that uncommon. It happens in the business world all the time.<br><br>Focusing one?s total attention, whether it be coaching a college football team, running a business, a job or career, or even on family, can be detrimental to long term physical and emotion health. In The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People, Stephen Covey discusses possible centers of people?s lives ? spouse, family, work, money, possessions, pleasure, friends, enemies, church, and self. He makes the point that if a person?s life is centered on any of these, then they are subject to emotional ups and downs associated with joys and disappointments. For example, if a person is job or career centered, they take losing their job much harder than someone who is centered elsewhere. Covey?s premise is that being ?Principle Centered? is the only way to achieve perspective and balance in life.<br><br>Another perspective on this subject of success and balance comes from Brian Tracy in The Psychology of Achievement. Tracy says that true success is achieved with these six elements:<br><br>1.Peace of mind<br><br>2.Health and energy<br><br>3.Loving relationships<br><br>4.Financial freedom<br><br>5.Worthy goals and ideals<br><br>6.Personal fulfillment<br><br>I think this is a great list and model for each person to consider as they lead their lives. Impacting one?s health for the sake of financial freedom or personal fulfillment doesn?t mean that the person is successful. Destroying relationships to achieve goals doesn?t equate to success. The challenge that we all face is to find balance between these six elements.<br><br>And balance is not necessarily practical over a short period of time. I know there were times in my career that I had to work long hours because of a plant startup or project assignment, and as a result other things in my life were neglected in the shirt term. But I also always took the total of amount a vacation time that I was due, and even would not feel guilty about taking an afternoon off to play golf if things were running pretty well. I never missed an important event that my children were involved in because of work. I?ve known people who had to drop everything else they were doing to care for a terminally ill spouse or parent. Short term imbalance is necessary and expected some times. It?s when the short term imbalance becomes the norm that problems surface.<br><br>Beliefs and attitudes drive behavior, and behavior determines outcomes and results. So if a person is dissatisfied with their outcomes, then they need to examine the beliefs and behaviors that lead to those outcomes. Here are a few beliefs and attitudes that can stand in the way of achieving a successful, balanced life: Do any apply to you?<br><br>1.To be important, I must be busy all the time.<br><br>2.No one can do the job as good as me.<br><br>3.I have to work long hours to support my family.<br><br>4.My family understands why I have to be away so much.<br><br>5.Success is achieved by working harder than everybody else.<br><br>6.I don?t believe all that stuff about diet and exercise.<br><br>7.I have to know everything that is going on in my department.<br><br>8.I?m responsible for everything that happens.<br><br>9.People can?t be trusted to do the right things if I?m not there.<br><br>10.The business can?t function without me.<br><br>You can probably add some of your own to the list. Each one of these is a self limiting belief which is based on perception not reality. To overcome self limiting beliefs you must first acknowledge that you have the belief. Then identify the impact that the belief is having on you. Finally, determine if the belief is really true. Objectively come up reasons that this belief may not be reality. Replace the limiting belief with an affirmation that is positive.