In a recent post, How to Succeed in Your Career… by Really Trying, I offered some thoughts to recent graduates about achieving success through leadership. This follow-up takes a step back—and a step deeper. Career achievements matter, but true success goes beyond what you do for a living.
Here are three guiding principles to carry with you:
1. Family Comes First
Never lose sight of your priorities. A successful career can bring intellectual satisfaction, financial security, and a sense of accomplishment. Work hard, stay dedicated, and pursue excellence. But always remember: nothing replaces family.
Your job may feel like your “baby,” but it’s not your child. A well-lived life includes balance—devotion to your work, yes, but also passion for the people you love. I’m proud of my career and the roles I’ve played. But nothing compares to the pride I feel in my wife, Fern, our two children and daughter-in-law and our delightful grandson. Their successes are my joys. Their pain is my pain.
2. Your Most Important Asset Isn’t Inside Your Financial Statement—It’s on the Top: Your Name
When it’s all said and done, your reputation is what you have. At a bank, a loan officer may scrutinize every asset, liability, and contingency on your financial statement—but the most critical evaluation is of you. Your character. Your word. Your motives.
Protect your name. Build trust. Let your integrity be the foundation of every relationship and decision. Because when others speak your name, it should carry weight—the kind that comes not from wealth, but from values.
3. Live a Life Worth Living
Treat others the way you wish to be treated. Selfishness may yield short-term gains, but over time, it limits the depth and meaning of your life. Seek purpose beyond success. Cultivate kindness, empathy, and humility.
Live a life that reflects you: your talents, your interests, your passions….a life guided not just by goals, but by principles.
Now it’s your time. Not just to show up—but to rise. To lead. To soar.
Laurence Bensignor 