As we close out the calendar year, I ask my clients to assess their performance toward their 2022 vision for success. For now, however, I want to talk about the journey that creates those success stories, specifically the juggling act that occurs during the year with things like school, work, spouse, children, and self. Some juggling has been successful to date; some not so much, resulting in divorce, health issues, loss of jobs, or poor grades, just to name a few examples. People try to do everything all at the same time, and in many cases rely on luck for a successful outcome. As a coach, I encourage you to minimize the role of luck in your life. Certainly, take it if it comes, but do not rely on it as a strategy for success.

Rather, I offer you a piece of advice that a friend of mine shared with me. Her company is fortunate to have her in the role of CEO. She advises the following:

"As you think about juggling all the elements of life, determine which are rubber balls and which are glass balls. You can drop the rubber ones. They will bounce back. But never drop the glass ones, because they will shatter and be gone forever."

For this reason, I do not like the phrase work/life balance. The two are not equal. Grades or job responsibilities are rubber balls and, if dropped, can recover. Relationships and health are glass balls and, if dropped, are destroyed forever.

Last week my wife shared a story with me. Karen teaches middle school extended English classes, formerly labeled "gifted classes." As you can imagine, the pressure on these 6th, 7th, and 8th grade students is quite high.

One of her students came to her quite sad. She told my wife that her grandmother had passed away unexpectedly the night before, and she and her family would be flying to India the following day. She would be absent for 2 weeks. She asked Karen if she could get the work for the following weeks in advance, so that she could work on it while away for fear of falling behind.

I had recently shared the story of juggling rubber and glass balls with my wife. Karen sat the little girl down and told her not to worry about school, and that her assignment was to spend all her time with her grandfather and other family members telling stories about her grandmother. She then reminded her about the importance of her grandmother in her life and that hearing the various stories told by family members was the most important thing she could do.

Karen has decided to teach the concept of glass versus rubber balls starting in 7th grade, to ensure that this concept of glass versus rubber issues becomes the foundation for our future leaders. Let this little girl set an example.

As you take time to think about what success looks like one year from now, take inventory of which elements in your life are rubber and which are glass. Remember: when juggling these balls of life, do everything you can to never drop a glass one.