By: Troy Korsgaden

True growth means integrating business and life so the two work together, not against each other.

What does it really mean to live your best year ever? For many, that phrase is tied to numbers—sales goals, production levels, market share, bonuses. We celebrate metrics because they are easy to measure. But overtime, I have come to realize that achievement alone doesn’t guarantee fulfillment.

Your “best year ever” isn’t only about doing more; it’s about being more—more intentional, more peaceful, more connected, more present. The most successful peopleI know have found a way to integrate business and life so the two work together, not against each other. They’ve learned that the same principles that build thriving enterprises also build meaningful lives.

We’re all trained to track the return on our financial investments. We review statements, study market trends and watch the bottomline. But when was the last time you stopped to measure the return on the time and energy you’re investing every day?

Those are the real currencies of life—and the ones most easily wasted.I learned that lesson the hard way. Early in my career, I worked long hours, said yes to everything and believed that staying busy meant staying successful. On paper, it looked great. In reality, I was burning energy on things that didn’t move me forward. I wasn’t making bad financial investments; I was making bad time and energy investments.

And here’s the truth: you can lose a thousand dollars today and make it back tomorrow. Lose an hour and it’s gone forever.That’s why I regularly stop and take inventory: Where am I spending my time? What am I giving my energy to? And what am I getting in return? It’s the same discipline you apply to your business financials, only this one determines the quality of your life.

Protecting priorities

When I look back, my greatest returns rarely came from money alone. They came from the hours invested in people, in learning and in personal growth. They came from the quiet mornings when I took time to think before the day started—before the phone rang, before the emails began, before the world had a chance to tell me what was urgent. That’s when the best ideas always showed up.

Every day, the world offers you a hundred ways to trade your attention. Social media, emails, breaking news. It’s all noise that promises connection but delivers distraction. If you don’t protect your time and energy, they’ll be consumed by things that don’t deserve them.That’s why I treat time and energy like money in the bank. I ask:

• Is this activity giving me a positive return?
• Is this relationship adding value or draining it?
• Is this project moving me closer to my purpose?

Technology can help if you use it with intention. I use simple tools to track where my hours go, how much time I’m spending in motion versus reflection and how many minutes I’m giving to things that truly matter. Those numbers tell a story, just like your balance sheet does.

Ultimately, the best return isn’t measured in dollars. It’s measured in peace of mind, in energy that fuels creativity and in time spent doing meaningful work with people you respect. Money can grow again. Time and energy cannot. Guard them with the same intensity you guard your financial investments, and you’ll start to see exponential returns in every part of your life.

Being intentional

For me, “living well” means designing your life rather than drifting through it. Years ago, I thoughtI had to own everything I enjoyed—houses, cars ,cabins, even experiences. Today, I see it differently.Sometimes renting a cabin for a week is more meaningful than owning one. Sometimes the richest experiences are the simplest ones: a cup of coffee, a croissant and a sunrise from a mountaintop. Living well isn’t about extravagance; it’s about presence.Wherever you are, be all there. Listen to the sounds, notice the people passing by, watch the light change.

That shift didn’t happen overnight for me. It came from realizing that I was checking boxes but not savoring moments. Now, when I travel for business, I carve out time to visit a museum, walk along the waterfront or sit quietly in a park. That’s how you integrate life and work instead of letting one consume the other.

Who you surround yourself with matters, too. The people closest to you shape your mindset, your habits and your direction. Over time, you start to mirror the energy you’re around.If you spend your days with people who are curious, positive and growth-oriented, you can’t help but rise with them. But if you’re surrounded by negativity, gossip or complacency, it quietly erodes your motivation. You may not even notice it happening until you look up one day and wonder why you’re exhausted or uninspired.

I’ve seen this play out in every phase of my career. When I was younger, I’d drive hours just to sit in a room with high performers. I didn’t always know what to ask; I just wanted to be in that environment. The conversations were different. The questions were sharper.The focus was contagious.

Today, I’m just as intentional about who gets my time and attention. That doesn’t mean cutting people off or keeping score; it means recognizing that time and energy are fi nite. You can love everyone, but you don’t have to give everyone equal access. Spend the most time with the people who challenge you to be better, who speak possibility instead of limitation, who celebrate your wins and hold you accountable when you drift.

At Korsgaden Insights we often tell young advisors and leaders: “Show me your calendar and your contacts, andI can show you what is important to you.” The company you keep deter-mines your trajectory. Choose wisely and then keep earning your spot in circles that elevate you.

Pursuing peace

Stress is a killer, both literally and figuratively. I’ve seen it destroy careers, relationships and health. It doesn’t always show up as one big crisis; it’s usually a thousand small ones—too many commitments, too little rest and too much comparison with other people’s achievements, possessions, income or even happiness.

Stress often hides behind everyday habits: poor sleep, constant fatigue, irritability and short temper. Those are warning signs. Ignore them long enough, and something will break.I work with a lot of young people, and I see them making the same mistakes I once made: piling on debt, over-leveraging, trying to do it all. I don’t regret my past because it shaped who I am, but if I could go back, I’d do some things differently. I’d focus more on moderation, less all-or-nothing and more balance.

Today, I even pay someone to be my discussion partner for health—not a coach, just someone who keeps me accountable for walking, breathing and getting sunlight. Sounds simple, but sunlight, movement and breath are the foundation of health. They cost nothing, but neglecting them costs everything.

Moderation really is the key. I’m not against celebrating. But if you’ve replaced your glass with a funnel, that might be a sign it’s time to cut back! The same goes for food, news and even work. Too much of anything—even good things—creates imbalance.

For me, the pursuit now is peace. I want to live and work in peace. Business can be chaotic—regulations, rate changes, technology disruptions, political noise. But you can create peace within the storm by controlling what you feed your mind.

I used to be a news junkie. Now I limit it severely. I still want to know if there’s a major world event, but I don’t need to consume anxiety as entertainment. You could stop watching the news for a month, and when you turn it back on, it’s the same argument, the same outrage. Nothing changes except your stress level.

Peace isn’t the absence of noise—it’s the presence of balance. You can’t always control what happens, but you can control your inputs. Surround yourself with peaceful people, peaceful spaces and peaceful habits. For me, that means long walks in nature, early morning reflection and time away from constant connectivity.

Budgeting meaning

One of the most practical ways to reduce stress is to create an economic plan. Not just a budget or a profit-and-loss sheet, but a plan that connects money with meaning.

I divide my resources into three categories:

1. Conservative money for security and essentials.
2. Risk money for growth and opportunity.
3. Giving money for contribution and gratitude.

This approach forces balance between safety, growth and purpose. It’s not about how much you make; it’s about what your money does for you and others. I’ve known people who earned far less than me but managed their resources better. They lived with clarity and consistency, and as a result, they had peace of mind. That’s the real wealth.

Start small. You don’t need a six- or seven-figure income to have a plan. What matters is action. Focus on what you have, not what you lack. Manage it well, and growth will follow.

A good plan also includes giving. I’m a firm believer that generosity compounds. When you give—time, talent or money—you invite more opportunities, more perspective and more gratitude into your life.

Seeking inspiration

Motivation gets you started, but inspiration keeps you going. To have your best year ever, you need both, but in the right order. Motivation can be fueled by fear or competition; inspiration is fueled by purpose. Motivation fades when the excitement wears off. Inspiration lasts because it’s tied to meaning.

I’ve learned to celebrate milestones, not just out-comes. Winning a company trip or hitting a goal may not be the final destination, but it’s a marker, proof that you’re moving in the right direction.

A friend recently said, “A milestone is not the endgame; it’s a benchmark that gets you to the next place you want to go.” I love that perspective. Each success should build confidence, not complacency.

You also need to know what—and who—inspires you. I wake up every day between 3:30 a.m. and 4:30 a.m. without an alarm clock. That’s my rhythm. Some mornings I’m energized; others I’m dragging. But I get up anyway, because discipline beats comfort. My inspiration comes from people who share that same drive.

I’m inspired by colleagues who bring honesty, creativity and calm under pressure. I’m inspired by people who do what they say they’ll do. You can’t stay motivated unless you’re inspired by something or someone bigger than yourself.

At the same time, protect your vision.Don’t share your biggest dreams with people who don’t care. Share your vision with those who will encourage you, challenge you and celebrate with you.

Curating purpose

If you want to create something remarkable—whether it’s a business, a relationship or a life—you’ve got to think like a chef. Every great meal depends on ingredients, timing and environment.

Miss one step—forget the salt, set the wrong temperature or rush the process—and the result isn’t the same. Success works the same way. You need the right mix of purpose, patience and persistence, all added at the right time.

The “recipe” for your best year includes several essential ingredients:

• Clarity: Know what you want and why you want it.
• Discipline: Do the right things consistently, even when it’s inconvenient.
• Balance: Make space for health, relationships and rest.
• Gratitude: Appreciate what you have while pursuing what’s next.
• Peace: Protect your inner calm like it’s your most valuable asset—because it is.

The beauty of this recipe is that you can adjust it anytime. If something isn’t working, tweak the proportions. Add more gratitude. Reduce stress. Turndown the heat. The goal isn’t perfection—it’s progress.

When you boil it all down, the best year ever isn’t about doing more; it’s about being more intentional. It’s about knowing what matters most and aligning your actions accordingly.

• Assess where you are. Take an honest inventory of your time, energy and results.
• Invest in what matters. Focus on people, activities and goals that bring lasting returns.
• Live with purpose. Don’t drift—design your days.
• Pursue peace. Guard your inputs and choose calm over chaos.
• Stay inspired. Surround yourself with people who make you better.

At the end of the day, your best year ever won’t come from chance. It will come from conscious creation. So, take a walk. Turn off the noise. Sit in silence. Reflect on what you’ve built, what you’ve learned and who you’ve become. Then set the table for the next great chapter of your life. Because the best year ever isn’t something that happens to you, it’s something you build, one intentional choice at a time.

Success will always matter. But significance—that’s what lasts. When your investment of your energy and time aligns with who you are and what you stand for, every year has the potential to be your best one yet.