Why Life Skills on a Corporate Finance Website?

It may initially seem strange that a Corporate Finance website cover life skills.  However, step back and think about our mission.  We here at CFA want to help all of you start or advance your career in Corporate Finance.  In my experience, real success in a career also requires attention to be paid to the hours not spent in the office.

I’m not advocating each of you put every waking hour of your life toward training for your career.  But, think for a minute about a professional athlete.  They would not be a “professional” for very long if the only time they thought about their sport was during required practices or games.  Additionally, they would not perform well if they neglected sleep, nutrition, and never had any relaxation.

If you want to be successful in your career (and in your life), you need to spend some time improving outside the hours you are in the office (or working remotely).   One example to think about comes from a Fast Company survey showed that the average CEO reads about 60 books per year!  You may have also heard the saying “Readers are Leaders”.  As you will see in the linked article, people like Bill Gates, Mark Cuban, and Warren Buffet credit much of their success to reading.

The more you look, the more examples you will see where successful people work to be better in many aspects.  Jack Dorsey meditates, does breathing exercises, and takes cold water plunges.  Jeff Bezos and Gary Vaynerchuk each get 8 hours of sleep per night.  The list goes on.

Some areas we plan to cover:

• Financial health – it’s important to have your financial house in order so you can focus on your family, friends, your career, and other interests.  Low maintenance is best.
• Fitness – not everyone has to be a fanatic, but some level of exercise helps your brain function better, reduces stress, increases focus and more
• Health and Wellness – Eating right makes you feel better and can avoid fatigue.  Sleep is critical.  Relaxation and recovery is also necessary.
• Other – Who knows what will come up!  If you have things you would like us to discuss, feel free to reach out.