Does money buy happiness What I learned from starting a business

Does money buy happiness What I learned from starting a businessDoes money buy happiness What I learned from starting a businessLooking back on my career, Ive come to realize how much my definition of success has changed over time. My years spent advising some of the fruchtwein successful wealth creators in America have taught me that money comes with unexpected challenges and great wealth does not equal great success.I started my career as a CPA, and eventually, I welches hired as the Chief Financial Officer for a wealthy family that welches setting up a family office. A family office is where all financial matters for a highly affluent family are handled including investing, accounting, property management, estate planning and legal, insurance, and other functions. My CFO role in this family office exposed me to a world I had never experienced significant family assets including commercial real estate development and leasing activities, a large stock and bond portfolio, several ope rating companies, extravagant personal residences, cars, and airplanes, and about 10 office employees.Follow Ladders on FlipboardFollow Ladders magazines on Flipboard covering Happiness, Productivity, Job Satisfaction, Neuroscience, and moreThe tech boom was minting new millionaires at a fantastic rate, and I recognized a growing need for holistic and conflict-free wealth advisory services. I was hired to open an office in Seattle to provide such services by a Silicon Valley firm.Soon I came to a crossroads in my career I had achieved success at this point in my life, but I wasnt happy, healthy, or at peace. I was at odds with the philosophy of my bosses, who were focused on prioritizing work and status over relationships, suggesting that life balance was for the weak. I was just beginning to understand that my own purpose and career objectives were grounded at a much deeper level.After seven years at the firm, I prepared to launch my own business. The night before my planned launch date, I was full of fear and anxiety because of what I was about to risk. The next morning, I took a leap into the unknown and Highland was born.Over the past 20 years, Ive lived my way to a richer definition of success. It wasnt a straight line, and I made tons of mistakes along the way. However, these three lessons have been incredibly valuable in my quest to redefine success for myselfYou dont need to sacrifice your health, your relationships and other important objectives to build wealth.When I started Highland, I had this crazy idea that I wasnt willing to sacrifice anything I wanted it all I recognized that I only had one life to live, and I wasnt going to listen to naysayers who might question my choices. I knew that I was biting off a lot by starting my own business, but I wasnt willing to postpone my other life objectives until the business was successful.I was being called into a much broader definition of success that included priorities like coaching my 13-year-old son s select baseball team. I didnt want to just show up and help once in a while. I wanted to be the head coach, responsible for practice plans and motivating the boys to develop and learn important life skills.The tradeoff was that my business grew at a slower pace, and I was okay with that. I was willing to exchange what I viewed as excess revenue growth for the priceless memories I made on the baseball diamond with my son. This experience, along with others, taught me that I could push seemingly rigidly defined boundaries in my mind about what was possible. I didnt have to settle for anything less than what I believed mattered most.Strive for continuous learning and growthThere is a saying that a business will only grow as fast as its leader. I knew I had to be the one leading the charge, evolving in my role, my capabilities, and my contribution as a businessman and a human being. Other people in my company were watching and taking their cues from me.I quickly realized that when you start a business, all of your deficiencies and flaws are exposed as the boss, you dont have anyone else to blame or hide behind. I had to get better at leading people, building strategy and vision, effectively communicating my needs, and holding people accountable even if that meant conflict.I found the courage to seek counselors, coaches, and mentors who listened, gave me advice, and helped me become a better version of myself. Highland was a canvas where God could shape me into who I needed to become. I now recognize that continual growth and development are critical to thriving, personally and professionally.Generosity is the secret joy creatorI truly believe in the saying Youve never met an unhappy generous person.It took me a while to fully understand the power of pure contribution those moments where Im not trying to gain anything in return from providing value to someone else. When I bring my full potential and gifts to every business and personal interaction, without any e xpectation of a return, I feel intensely alive, full of energy and joyful. I like to focus on being generous with L.I.F.E. Labor, Influence, Financial, Expertise.Generosity isnt just about giving financially its about looking at all the interactions in my life as an opportunity to bring the presence of loving-wisdom as a gift. This philosophy helped me approach interactions with my employees differently. Instead of fearing what might happen in the future if they left the company, I shifted my focus and started asking, Where are you trying to go? and How could I help you get there? Generosity creates freedom as we view our life through an abundance mindset, and there are great payoffs for the giver as well as the recipient.Its time to rebrand the concept of success as something holistic, heartfelt, and purposeful. By doing so, you can experience radical levels of joy from your money, work, and life. Dont be deterred from redefining success for yourself.John Christiansonis founder an d CEO of Highland Private Wealth Management, a boutique financial life management company in Bellevue, Washington. For more than 25 years, John has managed the financial lives of some of the most successful wealth creators in the country, including executives at Amazon, Microsoft, Starbucks, Nike, and Facebook and has acquired unique insights into the challenges and opportunities for wealth creators. John is a CFA charterholder, a CPA-Inactive, and a certified professional coach with the International Coach Federation. He is also the host and creator of The Wealth Confidant Podcast.You might also enjoyNew neuroscience reveals 4 rituals that will make you happyStrangers know your social class in the first seven words you say, study finds10 lessons from Benjamin Franklins daily schedule that will double your productivityThe worst mistakes you can make in an interview, according to 12 CEOs10 habits of mentally strong people