37 pages • 1 hour read
Clayton M. Christensen, James Allworth, Karen DillonHow Will You Measure Your Life?
Nonfiction | Book | Adult | Published in 2012A modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more.
Themes
The Pursuit of Lasting Happiness
As How Will You Measure Your Life? begins, Clayton M. Christensen describes his Harvard reunions after five years and beyond. He claims that his five-year reunion was filled with optimism, that most of his classmates were full of promise. However, at the 10-year reunion, Christensen noticed a change: “Despite such professional accomplishments, however, many of them were clearly unhappy” (2). Many classmates’ optimism had been replaced with dissatisfaction and stress. Christensen suggests this unhappiness stems from misplaced priorities and values. Instead of valuing the things that truly matter in life, such as healthy relationships with family and friends, people began prioritizing financial success and social status over healthy relationships and the like.
Christensen argues that compromising one’s values can take on a life of its own. He uses the story of former trader Nick Leeson to illustrate how a single unethical decision can lead to normalization, as Leeson’s actions landed him in prison and left many friends jobless. The same descent applies to Jeffrey Skilling of Enron, whose scandal-turned-bankruptcy led to the loss of retirement savings for Enron’s employees. Christensen argues that affording lapses in judgment and neglecting principles leads to disaster for all parties involved, even if lies, shortcuts, and temporary solutions seem tempting at the time. The stories of Leeson and Skilling serve as cautionary tales, warning against breaking personal rules. It is best to adhere to one’s values and invest time in the people who matter most.
As such, Christensen believes that the best way to find lasting happiness is to do as many things as possible—to find personal and professional opportunities for growth while adhering to one’s values. He also believes that people should expect failure at some point in their lives while understanding that failure is nothing to shirk from. Instead, if people maintain a growth mindset, they will learn to see failure as a necessary step in their progress as individuals, as it makes them more well-rounded and better equipped to handle future challenges. Christensen himself includes commitment to faith as part of his pursuit of lasting happiness; however, he does not insist that religion is a requisite for happiness. For him, religion evokes a desire to help others learn and grow as he would himself. As long as a person lives by their principles, practices introspection and self-reflection, as well as focuses on what truly matters to them and commits themselves to others, they will find lasting happiness.
Adaptability and Openness to the Unexpected
Christensen notes that when he graduated from Harvard, his career goal was to become an editor for The Wall Street Journal. He did not anticipate that his trajectory would take him where it did, which included managing a technology company and becoming a professor at his alma mater. His story serves as an example that life does not always progress as expected; therefore, we must learn to adapt to life’s unpredictability. According to Christensen, “we are constantly navigating a path by deciding between our deliberate strategies and the unanticipated alternatives that emerge” (48). He discusses the differences between deliberate and emergent strategies and shows examples from the business world, such as Honda’s entry into the US motorcycle market. Honda was able to alter its deliberate strategy, intended to compete with Harley Davidson in the larger motorcycle market, by shifting marketing to its smaller motorcycle—this being Honda’s emergent strategy. This change afforded Honda a foothold in the motorcycle market. Christensen uses this case study to illustrate the importance of adaptability, of opening up to potential changes. More often than not, potential changes are opportunities to take advantage of.
Christensen believes that “strategy is not a discrete analytical event […] Rather, it is a continuous, diverse, and unruly process. Managing it is very hard—the deliberate strategy and the new emerging opportunities fight for resources” (46). He recognizes that learning how to manage strategies requires skills as much as anything else. One cannot always abide by instincts or past successes, with the world being as ever changing as it is. As such, Christensen outlines the ways people can learn to weigh possible outcomes of co-existent strategies, with the first step involving a proper mindset: “Change can often be difficult, and it will probably seem easier to just stick with what you are already doing. That thinking can be dangerous” (61). In order to develop the adaptability needed for navigating the unexpected, one must be open to change. Clinging to a deliberate strategy may work out in some situations, but stubbornness can be limiting and eliminate other possibilities that could be more rewarding in the long run, as Christensen’s own story attests. While he would have likely thrived as an editor, his role as an educator better aligns with his purpose, as he values teaching—specifically, teaching others how to find lasting happiness by being adaptable and open yet steadfast in their own values.
Extrinsic Versus Intrinsic Motivation
In many ways, Christensen’s book is an exercise in helping others find their own intrinsic motivation. The book leads the reader through a series of theoretical exercises and asks that they apply lessons from business to their own lives. In order to do this, one needs to be willing to practice introspection. Christensen believes that introspection—as well as self-reflection—guides people far more effectively than a superficial understanding of their lives. The willingness to dig deep is what leads us to a better understanding of what truly motivates us.
On the surface, extrinsic rewards seem like strong motivators. In discussing motivation theory, Christensen calls extrinsic sources of motivation hygiene factors—things like status, compensation, job security, work conditions, company policies, and supervisory practices (32). He recognizes the value of these things and does not treat any of them dismissively: “The point isn’t that money is the root cause of professional unhappiness. It’s not. The problems start occurring when it becomes the priority over all else” (36). People should expect fair compensation; however, hygiene factors such as money are not true motivators. Instead, people need to ask themselves deeper questions about the nature of their jobs. Money allows one to live a comfortable life, but not necessarily a fulfilling one, either professionally or personally.
Christensen presents a series of questions to consider while determining one’s own intrinsic motivation: “Is this work meaningful to me? Is this job going to give me a chance to develop? Am I going to learn new things? Will I have an opportunity for recognition and achievement? Am I going to be given responsibility?” (40-41). Again, finding the answers to these questions requires introspection. When people feel stymied at work, trapped in a routine and unable to grow, neither the amount nor nature of incentives they receive will make a significant difference in how they view their work. Even people working “dream jobs” grow restless while under too much or too little pressure. Christensen argues that before taking any job, one should ensure that their job prioritizes intrinsic motivation factors over extrinsic hygiene factors—as intrinsic motivation will more likely lead to a feeling of accomplishment, to personal satisfaction with one’s decisions. From a managerial perspective, the same logic applies. If those in power fail to cultivate a culture that challenges, stimulates, and rewards their employees, these employees will feel less inclined to push themselves or continue working their jobs at all.
