Marshall Goldsmith Shows How to Make Significant Choices for an Earned Life

In a blog post related to opportunity and choice in life, adapted from his new book The Earned Life, the renowned leadership expert and bestselling author Marshall Goldsmith talks about the factors that go into our development and creating fulfilling lives.

Goldsmith writes, “Is life built only of playing roles, or of using the opportunities that come with that to do something more personally meaningful? These are important questions to pose because happiness is fleeting, but fulfillment is a sense of having done something significant and lasting in your life — an earned life.”

Many factors determine the future of a person, a place, a country. For example, Finland, right next door to Russia, has traditionally remained neutral. Those days appear over, following Russia’s unprecedented invasion of Ukraine and the subsequent threat of further Russian incursions into other neighboring states.

Recently President Sauli Niinisto of Finland sent a message to Russia about the steep price of invading his country. “Everybody understands that there is a threshold, if you try to come to Finland uninvited — it’s very expensive,” he said. Mr. Niinisto announced that Finland is in favor of rapidly applying for NATO membership. But for decades his country has made clear that it would not shy from a fight brought by Russia. Finland’s army, 180,000 strong, is perhaps the most powerful in the northern Baltic region, and it’s said that 80% of the population is willing to take up arms if necessary.

This is a far cry from remaining neutral.

In The Earned Life Goldsmith uncovers the source of today’s existential crises, including regrets that stem from choices that irrevocably alter our lives, reroute destinies, and haunt our memories. These are particularly timely themes today.

With Goldsmith’s book as a guide, readers can close the gap between what they plan to achieve and what they actually get done—even in a world full of inescapable unfairness and curveballs—and live an earned life that is fulfilling in the long run.

You can read Marshall Goldsmith’s blog here.

About MARSHALL GOLDSMITH

Marshall Goldsmith has been recognized for years as the world’s leading executive coach and the New York Times bestselling author of many books, including What Got You Here Won’t Get You There, Mojo, and Triggers. He received his Ph.D. from the UCLA Anderson School of Management. In his coaching practice, Goldsmith has advised more than 200 major CEOs and their management teams. He and his wife live in Nashville, Tennessee.

About THE EARNED LIFE

In THE EARNED LIFE (Currency Books), Marshall Goldsmith uncovers the source of today’s existential crisis: regret, the kind stemming from choices that irrevocably alter our lives, reroutes destinies, and haunts our memories—particularly timely themes as the pandemic and Great Resignation inspire people to seek meaning in their lives, get unstuck and make changes. With this book as their guide, readers can close the gap between what they plan to achieve and what they actually get done—even in a world full of inescapable unfairness and curveballs—and live an earned life too fulfilling to dwell on the “what ifs.”

If you’d like more information on Marshall Goldsmith, The Earned Life, and his work, please get in touch with Lyda Goldsmith.