If you are an expat professional or expat entrepreneur (or expat-preneur), you have likely spent a great deal of time acquiring and developing assets that will make you attractive to your target employer or audience. Assets that most agree are critical to your success.
As an expat professional you've pursued education and training, work experience (at home and abroad) and credentials to attract and impress your prospective employers. You've developed strategic relationships, language and cross cultural communication skills as well as highly differentiating career marketing materials on and offline to help you stand out and get noticed in the global marketplace.
As an expat entrepreneur or expat-preneur, in addition to doing all of the above, you'll have developed a compelling and differentiated set of products and/or services to meet the needs of your target market. You'll very likely have sought out opportunities on and offline for visibility so that those who need what you offer will be aware of who you are and the value you provide.
Most of us will have spent months and often years developing and enhancing these assets in the interest of having satisfying and successful professional life. We may have worked long hours and sacrificed time with friends and family to position ourselves as the perfect choice for that perfect job or client.
Unfortunately often we focus so much on the assets we feel we have to secure that we forget about the assets we already have. We forget to prioritize and nurture our most important asset while in pursuit of all of these others - our health.
If we are not physically or emotionally healthy we are unable to fully leverage the numerous assets we may have spent months and years acquiring and developing. We don't look and can't perform at our best. We don't come off well in networking situations and interviews. We don't always make the best choices or take action that serves us best.
Poor health can undermine years and years of work on our careers and businesses. It's critical that we prioritize our health so that we can realize our potential professionally, wherever we are and whatever we have chosen to do.
How much time did you spend on developing your career or business in 2010?
How much time did you spend on taking care of your emotional and physical health?
If there is a great difference between these two answers, can you see how that has enhanced or detracted from your fulfillment and performance?
YOUR EXPAT SUCCESS TIP: Recognize the critical role of your health in your professional and business success. Develop a plan in 2011 so that this very important asset is taken care of and you can not just survive but thrive in the new year.
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