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Why Wellbeing is the Single Most Important Skill for Your Personal and Professional Success

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If you’d like to learn how to develop the four pillars of well-being so you can excel in all areas of your life, sign up for the free 90-Day Master Class hosted by the founder of Addicted2Success.com, Joel Brown.


From the very beginning of my professional entrepreneurial journey, I’ve always had a strong passion for understanding how I could be at my best. As a young self employed professional with limited resources, I soon came to the realization that being mentally and emotionally fit was essential in order to move forward in my life with purpose. This insatiable desire to understand what makes people tick and thrive led me to a long and fortunate journey of studying, speaking, and working with some of the leading experts in the field of behavioural psychology, coaching, and neuroscience.

At the start of my “personal growth” journey, I often thought that being intensely productive and self-motivated was what I needed to succeed both personally and professionally. However, over time and thanks to my studies, I discovered that for someone to flourish in the long run, something different was needed. The key was wellbeing!

Naively, I initially felt that wellbeing was something important just for the elderly but when I took the time to dig deeper at what it actually meant, I realised that it was ultimately the answer I was looking for. Think about it, if we don’t feel well, how can we possibly do well for ourselves and others?

And so, I turned to neuroscience to get a better understanding of what wellbeing is and how we can experience more of it in our daily lives.

To my surprise, the first thing I discovered was that wellbeing is actually a skill we can develop, which was incredibly encouraging. There is no doubt that as human beings we are quite complex: our environment, background and personal traits inevitably impact the way we experience our lives. However, knowing that we can all deliberately practice wellbeing is nothing short of empowering.

There are 4 pillars that make up wellbeing:

  1. Self Awareness
  2. Outlook
  3. Resilience
  4. Generosity

Let’s take a closer look at all four pillars and find simple ways to practice them:

1. Self Awareness

Self awareness refers to the knowledge we have of ourselves: of our inner motives, states, emotions, and feelings. Being or better developing self awareness is incredibly powerful as it can help us better deal with stress and uncertainty but also provide us with insights on what is truly important for our personal and professional success. See self awareness as the basis for operating with greater clarity and focus in our life.

What’s a simple way to develop our daily self awareness? The act of self observation – This means taking the time throughout the day to check-in with ourselves, to observe what emotions are present, what thoughts are in our mind, and noticing our physical states when responding or more often reacting to life events. This simple (yet not easy) act can bring invaluable insight in the way we manage and experience our life, allowing us to slowly shift from reacting to interacting with life.

“Self awareness is one of the rarest of human commodities. I don’t mean self consciousness where you’re limiting and evaluating yourself. I mean being aware of your own patterns.” – Tony Robbins

2. Outlook

Intricately connected to self-awareness, outlook refers to the way we look at ourselves and the world around us. It’s basically the story we tell ourselves and this can make a massive difference. Let me give you an example.

Imagine I have just lost my job…

Scenario 1: The world sucks and my life is over. I wasted 2 years in that job, there are no opportunities out there for me now and I don’t have what it takes to find my dream job. I’m exhausted!

Scenario 2: It’s unfortunate but I have learnt from it and now it’s a great opportunity to move forward to something better. I am excited to see what the future holds and I am going to start researching which industries are hiring at the moment where I could expand myself and add true value.

Which perspective do you think is more useful? It’s the same event, just seen from a different perspective. When we have a great outlook on life, we are more positive, energised, and ultimately, we develop a growth mindset, which means looking at every event no matter if positive or negative as an opportunity for growth.

What’s a simple way to practice it? Take a recent event that did not go your way and ask yourself, what did this event teach me? How did it make me better? Be inspired by the great Nelson Mandela who said “ I don’t lose, I either win or learn.” Life works in mysterious ways but you can be sure that everything has its purpose and a silver lining!

3. Resilience

As I am sure you can agree, without a great outlook, having resilience becomes a challenging matter. Being able to keep going, to persevere, and to build that inner strength that stops you from giving up is what makes for great resilience. Of course, pushing for something that we feel is not worth it might not be necessarily a good example of resilience but here is where self awareness is so important! 

In times of difficulty or uncertainty like the ones we are currently experiencing, resilience is key. The more we teach ourselves to become resilient the more our brain becomes resilient. Want to become more resilient? Science shows us that meditating, practicing self compassion and facing our fears are all powerful ways to build resilience.

“Do not judge me by my success, judge me by how many times I fell down and got back up again.” – Nelson Mandela

4. Generosity

Who would have thought that being more generous could be one of the 4 pillars for our optimum wellbeing? When I discovered this, a big part of me felt humbled: “I can increase my own levels of wellbeing while helping others? What a beautiful thing! It’s mother nature’s poetic ways of keeping the world going round.” 

Science tells us that there is a part of our brain that is hardwired for contribution. In fact, whenever we give, our brain releases what is called the “happiness trifecta,” a rush of serotonin, oxytocin and dopamine that increases our energy levels and mood. It even drops our stress levels!

From this perspective, life is enormously generous with us as it offers endless possibilities for us to be generous, whether that is with a friend, family, colleague, or stranger. Simply open your heart to others and let your best you shine: generosity is contagious.

There is no one recipe to success or happiness but with a bit of effort and focus on the right direction we can take small steps in our daily lives that compounded over time can bring expediential results.

Which one of the above pillars do you think is most important to living your life? Share your thoughts with us below!

Passionate entrepreneur on a quest to help people live more empowering and expansive lives, Filippo di Lenardo is the Co-Founder of 3SSENTIA, the SMART personal management system that helps professionals fulfil their personal and professional goals more effectively. Filippo is also a coach and co-founder of Leap2yourbest, a personalised 2-day program designed to help entrepreneurs accelerate their personal and business growth.

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Success Advice

Why One-Size-Fits-All Leadership Will Always Fail (and What Works Instead)

The surprising truth about leadership styles that can make or break your team’s success.

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Why one-size-fits-all leadership doesn’t work
Image Credit: Midjourney

Leadership has always been as much about people as it is about performance. Ken Blanchard, in his influential book, “The One Minute Manager”, put it simply: different strokes for different folks. (more…)

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Success Advice

What Every New CEO Must Do in Their First 100 Days (or Risk Failure)

Your first 100 days as CEO could define your entire legacy, here’s how to make every move count

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leadership tips for new CEO
Image Credit: Midjourney

When Tim Cook took over from Steve Jobs at Apple, the world watched with bated breath. Jobs wasn’t just a CEO; he was a visionary, an icon, and a legend of innovative leadership. (more…)

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Entrepreneurs

The Leadership Shift Every Company Needs in 2025

Struggling to keep your team engaged? Here’s how leaders can turn frustrated employees into loyal advocates.

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Bridging the gap between employees and employers
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In workplaces around the world, there’s a growing gap between employers and employees and between superiors and their teams. It’s a common refrain: “People don’t leave companies, they leave bad bosses.”

While there are, of course, cases where management could do better, this isn’t just a “bad boss” problem. The relationship between leaders and employees is complex. Instead of assigning blame, we should explore practical solutions to build stronger, healthier workplaces where everyone thrives.

Why This Gap Exists

Every workplace needs someone to guide, supervise, and provide feedback. That’s essential for productivity and performance. But because there are usually far more employees than managers, dissatisfaction, fair or not, spreads quickly.

What if, instead of focusing on blame, we focused on building trust, empathy, and communication? This is where modern leadership and human-centered management can make a difference.

Tools and Techniques to Bridge the Gap

Here are proven strategies leaders and employees can use to foster stronger relationships and create a workplace where people actually want to stay.

1. Practice Mutual Empathy

Both managers and employees need to recognize they are ultimately on the same team. Leaders have to balance people and performance, and often face intense pressure to hit targets. Employees who understand this reality are more likely to cooperate and problem-solve collaboratively.

2. Maintain Professional Boundaries

Superiors should separate personal issues from professional decision-making. Consistency, fairness, and integrity build trust, and trust is the foundation of a motivated team.

3. Follow the Golden Rule

Treat people how you would like to be treated. This simple principle encourages compassion and respect, two qualities every effective leader must demonstrate.

4. Avoid Micromanagement

Micromanaging stifles creativity and damages morale. Great leaders see themselves as partners, not just bosses, and treat their teams as collaborators working toward a shared goal.

5. Empower Employees to Grow

Empowerment means giving employees responsibility that matches their capacity, and then trusting them to deliver. Encourage them to take calculated risks, learn from mistakes, and problem-solve independently. If something goes wrong, turn it into a learning opportunity, not a reprimand.

6. Communicate in All Directions

Communication shouldn’t just be top-down. Invite feedback, create open channels for suggestions, and genuinely listen to what your people have to say. Healthy upward communication closes gaps before they become conflicts.

7. Overcome Insecurities

Many leaders secretly fear being outshone by younger, more tech-savvy employees. Instead of resisting, embrace the chance to learn from them. Humility earns respect and helps the team innovate faster.

8. Invest in Coaching and Mentorship

True leaders grow other leaders. Provide mentorship, career guidance, and stretch opportunities so employees can develop new skills. Leadership is learned through experience, but guided experience is even more powerful.

9. Eliminate Favoritism

Avoid cliques and office politics. Decisions should be based on facts and fairness, not gossip. Objective, transparent decision-making builds credibility.

10. Recognize Efforts Promptly

Recognition often matters more than rewards. Publicly appreciate employees’ contributions and do so consistently and fairly. A timely “thank you” can be more motivating than a quarterly bonus.

11. Conduct Thoughtful Exit Interviews

When employees leave, treat it as an opportunity to learn. Keep interviews confidential and use the insights to improve management practices and culture.

12. Provide Leadership Development

Train managers to lead, not just supervise. Leadership development programs help shift mindsets from “command and control” to “coach and empower.” This transformation has a direct impact on morale and retention.

13. Adopt Soft Leadership Principles

Today’s workforce, largely millennials and Gen Z, value collaboration over hierarchy. Soft leadership focuses on partnership, mutual respect, and shared purpose, rather than rigid top-down control.

The Bigger Picture: HR’s Role

Mercer’s global research highlights five key priorities for organizations:

  • Build diverse talent pipelines

  • Embrace flexible work models

  • Design compelling career paths

  • Simplify HR processes

  • Redefine the value HR brings

The challenge? Employers and employees often view these priorities differently. Bridging that perception gap is just as important as bridging the relational gap between leaders and staff.

Treat Employees Like Associates, Not Just Staff

When you treat employees like partners, they bring their best selves to work. HR leaders must develop strategies to keep talent engaged, empowered, and prepared for the future.

Organizational success starts with people, always. Build the relationship with your team first, and the results will follow.

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Entrepreneurs

What Makes an Entrepreneurial Leader? Traits of the World’s Best Innovators

Inside the mindset of entrepreneurial leaders who transform risk, passion, and vision into world-changing results.

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entrepreneurial leadership skills and traits
Image Credit: Midjourney

When you think of Richard Branson (Virgin Group), Bill Gates (Microsoft), Steve Jobs (Apple), Rupert Murdoch (News Corporation), and Ted Turner (CNN), one thing becomes clear: they are not just entrepreneurs, they are entrepreneurial leaders. (more…)

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