The Secret to Living a Balanced and Fulfilling Life: The Three Pillars of Excellence
Published: December 11, 2023 5 mins read
Imagine you’re a carpenter, and you’ve been hired to build
a stool for a customer. You have three pieces of wood, each of
different quality, length, and thickness. How would you go
about crafting the stool?
You could use the best piece of wood for one leg, the
second-best for another, and the worst for the third. You could
cut them to different lengths, depending on how much wood
you have. You could also make them as thin or as thick as
you want.
But what would happen if you did that? Would the stool
be stable and sturdy? Would it be comfortable and pleasing to
sit on? Would it last long and serve its purpose?
Probably not. The stool would be uneven, wobbly, and weak.
It would be hard to balance on, and it would break easily.
It would not be a good stool.
Now, imagine that the stool is your life, and the three pieces of wood are your health, your wealth, and your happiness. These are the three pillars of excellence, the foundation of your well-being and quality of life.
Just like the stool, we need to cultivate all three pillars to live a balanced and fulfilling life. Let’s see how to do just that.
Health is the most important pillar of excellence, because it affects everything else in our life.
Our health is like the quality of the wood we use for the stool. If the wood is rotten, cracked, or warped, it will not make a good stool. Similarly, if our health is poor, our life will suffer.
When we’re in good health, we have more energy, mental clarity, and emotional resilience to pursue our goals, manage stress, and enjoy life to the fullest. On the other hand, poor health can limit our abilities and negatively impact our wealth and happiness.
According to a recent study by Harvard Medical School researchers, only 12% of people are satisfied with their health, wealth, and happiness.
How can we improve our health? By taking care of our body and mind. This means:
◾Getting enough sleep
◾Eating a balanced diet
◾Exercising regularly
◾And practicing self-care
When we invest in our health, we lay a strong foundation for success in other areas of our lives.
Wealth is another crucial pillar of excellence, because it provides us with the resources and opportunities to achieve our goals and dreams. Wealth is the tools and materials we need to build our stool.
With the right resources, we can craft a beautiful stool more easily. Without them we’ll have a hard time making the stool at all.
For 24 years, researchers from that same Harvard study tracked the health and wealth of 240,000 Americans aged 50 and above. With no history of heart disease at the beginning of the study, they concluded that wealth mobility directly influences long-term cardiovascular outcomes.
To achieve financial well-being, we need to:
◾Cultivate a mindset of abundance
◾Be diligent with our finances
◾And seek avenues for growth and investment
By building wealth, we gain the resources and opportunities to live out our values outwardly.
Happiness is the ultimate pillar of excellence, because it reflects our sense of purpose, meaning, and fulfillment in life. Our happiness is like the design and style of the stool. It’s subjective in nature.
If the stool is beautiful, comfortable, and functional, it is serving its purpose. But if the stool is ugly, uncomfortable, and doesn’t stand on its own, it’s of no use to it’s owner or anyone else for that matter.
Happiness is not just a feeling, but an internal state of being. It’s influenced by our thoughts, beliefs, and actions. To be happy, we need purpose, meaning, and fulfillment in life.
So how can we cultivate happiness? By aligning our thoughts, beliefs, and actions with our values and goals. This means:
◾Finding your purpose
◾Pursuing your goals
◾Expressing your values
By living in alignment with your values and goals, you enhance your well-being and quality of life.
In today’s fast-paced world, it’s easy to get caught up in the hustle and bustle, striving for success in various areas of our lives.
We juggle multiple responsibilities, from our careers to our relationships, often neglecting what truly matters. However, neglecting these essential aspects of our lives can have detrimental consequences, leaving us with regret, disappointment, and a lack of fulfillment.
Ask yourself: How are your three pillars of excellence? Are they strong and sturdy, or weak and wobbly?
The choice is yours. The stool is yours. The life is yours. Make it excellent.
