David Brooks has written about resume vs eulogy virtues. The norm for most of us is to spend most of our focus and our career years building resume virtues. I.e. the skills you build up and bring to the marketplace. The ones you would list on your resume. Most of us focus our efforts here. Some of these can be box check skills – i.e. are you skilled at coding, adept at public speaking, multiple degrees, etc. Some of them can be more qualities than skills – ambition, achievement, collaboration. There’s nothing inherently wrong with resume virtues. Mastery in a domain is a worthy endeavor.
Eulogy virtues, on the other hand, are qualities of character that would be mentioned in your eulogy. Were you courageous? Kind? Loyal? Honest? Humble? How much time have you spent working on your eulogy virtues? Do they outpace your resume virtues, or have they withered on the vine in pursuit of some version of success?
If you’re neglecting your eulogy virtues, if you’re not building who you are at your core, rather than just what you do, then I believe any success achieved is hollow at its core. When you pass, those achievement will be dust in the wind. What legacy will you leave with those you care for most? What do you want them to remember about you? Who do you want them to remember you as being to them and others?
Build success, build mastery – and start with building your self. As with most things, this is a yes/and rather than an either/or. Remember to build mastery on both sides of the equation.
BUILT TO LEAD 