Just a reminder: Beginning with this Point, we will be sending out the POTW every first and third Monday. So look for our next Point on July 19. Now, let’s continue our discussion about true success in life.

There are some aspects of life that we can’t put a price upon, but they are highly valuable nonetheless. I’m talking about being able to spend an afternoon at your kid’s baseball game, or driving to work and really anticipating getting there and getting down to it. And I’m also talking about taking the time to work out regularly so you can feel better—and feel better about yourself. These things might seem at odds with each other, but what I’m describing is a balanced life—where success is measured in and out of our offices. This is true success, and it’s what we focus on in our coaching sessions.

My 7 F’s of True Success—the Fundamentals of your work, Finances (and your Financial Legacy), Family (and Friends), Faith, Fitness (emotional and physical), Fun and Fusion (the balance of these things)—is a workable game plan for achieving this kind of successful, well-rounded life.

The remaining five of my 10 Principles for Success are tips to help you stick with this game plan. Follow them with the 7 F’s in mind, and not only will you know where you’re going, but you’ll also find the journey becomes a little easier.

To that end, here are five more ideas worth putting into practice:

• Be a juggler. Strive to maintain balance in all areas of your life. The secret to a balanced life is learning how to attend to each of the 7 F’s of True Success. Most of us attach some importance to at least a few of these 7 F’s, but they all need attention if you aim to achieve a workable, enjoyable balance in life. Stop every now and then and assess how you’re doing in each area. Make adjustments as needed. Maybe you need to stop multitasking and work on each area systematically and individually.
• Focus on relationships, and aim for mutual TRA—trust, respect and admiration. People want to work with, and be associated with, people they trust, respect and admire. This is what long-term relationships are built upon; they simply don’t happen without it. Wherever possible, form deep, meaningful relationships. The feelings of trust, respect and admiration you have for your family and friends also will work in your relationships with clients. Become emotionally invested in their success.
• Continuously enhance your expertise. Be more than just a vendor or supplier with your customers. Be an advisor; be the expert they need. Strive to be “the go-to person” in your field. Be a partner in your client’s success. People have to know that you have their interests in mind—not just your own. Are you self-focused or focused on others?
• Always ask yourself, “What’s the right thing to do?” Remember, there is no right way to do the wrong thing. When faced with a tough decision, ask yourself these three questions. “Would my parents be proud of me? Would my spouse respect me? And would my children look up to me?” If the answer is yes to all three, go for it! If not, you need to choose another path. End of discussion.
• Know that it takes teamwork to achieve something great. Today, and especially In the future, it's going to take a team approach to meet the needs of clients in most industries. People are going to expect you to offer multiple kinds of expertise, and that takes more than one person. Choose the right team, and appreciate the folks you bring together. Demand excellence, and reward it along the way. This is where your leadership skills come in handy.

Whatever you do, be a work in progress, not a finished product! Otherwise, you’ll become complacent and then mediocre. Grow. Learn. Try something new every day. It’s your life. It’s your success. It’s up to you.

This two-part series is designed to take our focus off the challenging economy—and the real or perceived worries that go with it—and onto some basic principles of success. True success means having success in all areas of life. The two most important currencies in this decade of business are relationships and expertise. Focus on those at work. And focus on all areas of life every day if you want true success. This is how you do what you do better.