heading for this type of burnout. They are to be found at every level, from the lowest worker on the totem pole to the top executive and everywhere in between. In big business firms the corporate culture rewards success. In the 20 million small businesses the name of the game is produce or perish. And the business side of the professions has physicians, attorneys, accountants,contractors and dozens of other professionals going around the clock. Time has become money.

Stress management begins by recognizing tha

We have all met them: the highly successful businessman, the indispensable boss, the key team member. They are the best at what they do. They are appreciated by everyone. They are making money hand over fist. They have high blood pressure and heart problems. They drive a nice car and live in a nice house. They often have a wonderful family or trophy spouse. They are at the top of their game and could drop dead at any moment. They are usually well-mannered, sometimes charming. They smile and laugh. But what you see is all that you get: they are not happy. They are trapped. The bars of their cage are made of gold. They have large payments and big mortgages.

Our culture makes it difficult to believe that success can be stressful. We are taught that lack of success is stressful. If only we could make it to the top everything would fall into place. We would be happy and those we love would be secure. our worries would be over. The kingdom would have come.

Type A behavior comes with a price. Most of the time success requires a very large amount of dedication, energy and focus. Those who get to the top of the mountain say that it is a difficult climb with many sacrifices: sleep deprivation, few pastimes, litte if any leisure and a great deal of focused intensity.

What is the stress of success all about? Simple: the plan is working but not yet accomplished. The successful person has gotten halfway across the bridge, far enough out so that there is no turning back but not across to the other side. It is the point of do or die.

Often the bind is financial. There is too much debt to afford retirement. There are too many payments to cut back on work but not enough stamina to keep up the pace. The person has been reduced to all work and no play. Their doctor worries about their health and usually gets an argument if and when this person actually checks in. The classic scene depicting this situation is the doctor at bedside saying the choice is to cut back or have a more serious heart attack.

The busines scene is loaded with people heading for this type of burnout. They are to be found at every level, from the lowest worker on the totem pole to the top executive and everywhere in between. In big business firms the corporate culture rewards success. In the 20 million small businesses the name of the game is produce or perish. And the business side of the professions has physicians, attorneys, accountants,contractors and dozens of other professionals going around the clock. Time has become money.

Stress management begins by recognizing tha

s all that you get: they are not happy. They are trapped. The bars of their cage are made of gold. They have large payments and big mortgages.

Our culture makes it difficult to believe that success can be stressful. We are taught that lack of success is stressful. If only we could make it to the top everything would fall into place. We would be happy and those we love would be secure. our worries would be over. The kingdom would have come.

Type A behavior comes with a price. Most of the time success requires a very large amount of dedication, energy and focus. Those who get to the top of the mountain say that it is a difficult climb with many sacrifices: sleep deprivation, few pastimes, litte if any leisure and a great deal of focused intensity.

What is the stress of success all about? Simple: the plan is working but not yet accomplished. The successful person has gotten halfway across the bridge, far enough out so that there is no turning back but not across to the other side. It is the point of do or die.

Often the bind is financial. There is too much debt to afford retirement. There are too many payments to cut back on work but not enough stamina to keep up the pace. The person has been reduced to all work and no play. Their doctor worries about their health and usually gets an argument if and when this person actually checks in. The classic scene depicting this situation is the doctor at bedside saying the choice is to cut back or have a more serious heart attack.

The busines scene is loaded with people heading for this type of burnout. They are to be found at every level, from the lowest worker on the totem pole to the top executive and everywhere in between. In big business firms the corporate culture rewards success. In the 20 million small businesses the name of the game is produce or perish. And the business side of the professions has physicians, attorneys, accountants,contractors and dozens of other professionals going around the clock. Time has become money.

Stress management begins by recognizing tha

ires a very large amount of dedication, energy and focus. Those who get to the top of the mountain say that it is a difficult climb with many sacrifices: sleep deprivation, few pastimes, litte if any leisure and a great deal of focused intensity.

What is the stress of success all about? Simple: the plan is working but not yet accomplished. The successful person has gotten halfway across the bridge, far enough out so that there is no turning back but not across to the other side. It is the point of do or die.

Often the bind is financial. There is too much debt to afford retirement. There are too many payments to cut back on work but not enough stamina to keep up the pace. The person has been reduced to all work and no play. Their doctor worries about their health and usually gets an argument if and when this person actually checks in. The classic scene depicting this situation is the doctor at bedside saying the choice is to cut back or have a more serious heart attack.

The busines scene is loaded with people heading for this type of burnout. They are to be found at every level, from the lowest worker on the totem pole to the top executive and everywhere in between. In big business firms the corporate culture rewards success. In the 20 million small businesses the name of the game is produce or perish. And the business side of the professions has physicians, attorneys, accountants,contractors and dozens of other professionals going around the clock. Time has become money.

Stress management begins by recognizing tha

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Often the bind is financial. There is too much debt to afford retirement. There are too many payments to cut back on work but not enough stamina to keep up the pace. The person has been reduced to all work and no play. Their doctor worries about their health and usually gets an argument if and when this person actually checks in. The classic scene depicting this situation is the doctor at bedside saying the choice is to cut back or have a more serious heart attack.

The busines scene is loaded with people heading for this type of burnout. They are to be found at every level, from the lowest worker on the totem pole to the top executive and everywhere in between. In big business firms the corporate culture rewards success. In the 20 million small businesses the name of the game is produce or perish. And the business side of the professions has physicians, attorneys, accountants,contractors and dozens of other professionals going around the clock. Time has become money.

Stress management begins by recognizing tha

heading for this type of burnout. They are to be found at every level, from the lowest worker on the totem pole to the top executive and everywhere in between. In big business firms the corporate culture rewards success. In the 20 million small businesses the name of the game is produce or perish. And the business side of the professions has physicians, attorneys, accountants,contractors and dozens of other professionals going around the clock. Time has become money.

Stress management begins by recognizing that success brings stress. There truly is stress and that stress needs to be managed. Physical workouts and proper nutrition are part of the program. Other parts of the program need to include time outs, proper amounts of rest and sleep, relaxation and effective venting of tension. In other words, pay attention to being human. Limit setting is probably the greatest challenge of all.

Those successful people who learn to set limits are likely to live long enough to enjoy their success. Those who do not set realistic limits will also likely succeed. Their obituraries will note that they died at the very pinnacle of their success.

Tragedy in the view of Greek philosophy was suffering that did not need to happen. Some bad things happen in life and cannot be avoided. But other bad things happen because we did not have the wisdom to avoid them. Success does not need to be overly stressful. It is possible to have cake and eat it too, but one needs to learn stress management and build into the plan provision for being human.