Heath Ledger Is Dead
Heath Ledger died yesterday.
Who is Heath Ledger? I had never heard of him until yesterday. I heard of Broke Back Mountain but never saw the movie and didn’t know Heath Ledger was the star. All I know is this: A 28 year old kid is dead. Not just any 28 year old kid, but a guy who had millions of dollars and what seemed to be an incredibly bright future.
So you think that next promotion is going to do the trick for you? Do you feel like if you can just hit that next big payday all of your troubles will go away?
Heath Ledger is no different than every corporate executive I’ve ever met. Successful on the outside and an absolute mess on the inside. Sleepless nights, stress levels that are off the charts and chasing that big something that has always eluded them. While they spend all their time trying to impress their boss in hopes they will get noticed for their performance, their families are fracturing at the seems. Kids are sent to $10,000 private schools and spouses are living it up on the social scene. There’s certainly nothing wrong with enjoying your prosperity but here’s the million dollar question (pardon the pun) : At what cost?
How many relocations are you going to put your family through? How many 12 hour workdays and late meetings are you going to subject your “real direct reports” to? How much coffeee do you need to get going in the morning? Ever thought of going into work a little late and taking a brisk morning walk with your spouse? Nah, can’t do that - the boss wouldn’t approve. You keep trying to impress the guy who is chugging coffee and sleeping pills. The guy is who is asking for “just a little bit more” from you so the team can win. You do that while your family wishes they could get just 50% of what you’re giving to your boss. The good news is when they plant you in the ground your boss will send flowers and a card. The bad news is your family will be left with a fraction of the memories they could have had if you just took a minute to enjoy life the way it was meant to be enjoyed.
So the next time you hear of a promtotion at work ask this question: “At what cost?” - behind every corporate promotion is a family left behind. Heath Ledger left his parents, a 2 year old and hundreds of friends. He “broke the back” of the people who loved him.
Sam
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