36 JULY AUGUST 2024 | THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL The problem is that many employees let ambition and overexertion eclipse other parts of their lives, with miserable results. “When you are highly accomplished, it is very easy to become your job. But you are not,” said Brooks. “Probably most of you here were high achievers as kids. And now your burden is that you overindex your career, and you become success addicts.” Turning that problem around is not so easy because, as Brooks pointed out, when you give overworked diplomats the chance to work less, they often … don’t: “They don’t know how to not work.” This is a path that leads to burnout and may help, in part, explain the department’s low FEVS survey results showing decreasing job satisfaction among diplomats. “In the end,” said Brooks, “the only thing that really matters for your work and your success is serving other people. Earning your success, a sense of accomplishment and value for your life— all of this comes from serving others.” Making a Habit Out of Happiness Brooks had succinct and actionable advice for diplomats. “You have to be open about your success addiction and be willing to bring others in to help you, so that you can give yourself a more balanced life.” And, in addition to your work, you also have to focus your daily habits around a few other key elements to bring you lasting joy—namely, family, friends, and faith— with some caveats. Family. You don’t choose them, and you may not always like them. But they are part of you and you of them, and it matters. Friends. Invest time in your real friends, and not the “deal friends” you make in the halls of the department to get you your next promotion. Remember that real friends are “useless” in the sense that they have no transactional value. But they love you, no matter what. While this may sound simple, Brooks acknowledged that maintaining real friendships is actually pretty challenging given the FS pick-up-and-go lifestyle. “A lot of people who travel around in the Foreign Service,” said Brooks, who has moved around a lot himself, “make a mistake if they are not establishing relationships that transcend moving and work.” Investing the time to forge deeper relationships that last throughout the years will directly improve happiness. “Every time you move, pretend you’ve been there for 10-15 years. Open the Bible study, start the book club,” he said. “Within two weeks, as soon as your house is stocked with pots and pans and furniture, invite people over for dinner. Don’t wait for people to invite you.” Faith. Faith isn’t only about religion or God. Faith is the thing that pulls you out of your life and helps you transcend it, even for a moment. Maybe it’s a walk in a forest. Maybe it’s a Bach fugue. Maybe it’s sitting 10 minutes quietly with your eyes closed without your phone. Or maybe it’s church. Whatever your faith is, you need to devote a little bit of time to it regularly, to help you transcend the antics of your dayto-day and get some peaceful perspective. “Take time to work on your interior life,” said Brooks. Otherwise our busyness can distract us from our true purpose—service to others. Why It Matters For many government employees attending, Brooks’ talk resonated. For Melanie McIntyre-Pote, the discussion of work (Left) Arthur Brooks speaks at the State Department on Feb. 23, 2024. (Inset) FSO and event co-organizer Johanna Villalobos at the talk. Villalobos first met Brooks during her participation in the Secretary's Leadership Seminar, a joint program of FSI and the Harvard Business School. MICHAEL SMITH AMELIA SHAW
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