Overloaded Star Performer

How many of us did get their performance targets moved-up as part of the last appraisal? Undoubtedly, all of us. How has that impacted our drive to achieve the new stretch targets? If you had put X amount of your ability(for the lack of one single factor) and T hours last year to achieve previous target, these are the options you have for this year:

I) X+ Delta(X) Ability and T hours
II) X Ability and T+ Delta(T) hours
III)X+ Delta(X) Ability and T + Delta(T) hours
IV) X Ability and T hours - Missed the target!


Among the four options, IVth is dangerous for your career and IInd and IIIrd will create stress. If you are really smart, you will go for option I. You will still be able to spend the same amount of time, as you did last year, with your family, at the golf course or wherever you like to spend those extra hours(?). But its not easy!
How many people could actually do that?

A recent article in Harvard Business Review titled, "Manage your energy, not your time" touches on the exact same points. Its not that the message is new but the use of term "energy" is actually very interesting since it is fundamental to whatever happens in our universe or beyond. Question is, how energy is tied to your ability to do something? One way to define ability is, trained energy. Its like switching on a light bulb. You know electrical energy is there and once switched on it will result in lighting the bulb.

Manging energy is the key. It is different from managing physical health. It has more to do with mind than body. Yes, a healthy mind lives in a health body, but healthy body doesn't necessarily guarantees healthy mind. Why? What else is needed?The answer may help you ace the common job interview question,"what keeps you going?"

More in subsequent posts...