WHY
Too often, it takes a painful inflection point in life to assess where we are and to evaluate our priorities.
I’ve had a few. Each helped me refocus on what is most important. Most recently, in 2017, I was miserable in my “dream job.” As the President and COO of a publicly-traded technology company, making more money than I ever dreamed of, it looked like I had it all. The job started out great, but over time, the nature of my work changed and the demands on my time grew. I felt a sense of misalignment. I was disconnected from my inner and outer purpose. I became “too busy” to take care of myself and my relationships.
In the end, I was completely burnt out, a shell of my former self.
Sadly, everyone that cared about me could see it happening. For some reason, I just wasn’t ready to listen.
“Too busy” is one of the biggest challenges of the current age.
We all think we’re too busy, which is really just a reflection of not prioritizing what’s most important. We react to what society demands from us, exacerbated by technology that amplifies those messages.
My path to recovery wasn’t easy. I had to work to restore my strength, return to my values, rediscover my purpose, and rebuild important relationships. The first step was my relationship with myself.
I had no idea how to do it. I started to gain a foothold when a friend suggested I try a meditation app. That cracked open the door of self-awareness, leading me to a journey of discovery.
At Operational Zen, we've studied happiness and wellness, including science, philosophy, and spirituality, ranging from the most recent advancements to the wisdom of the ages.
We talked to thought leaders and people struggling to maintain a sense of equilibrium in their lives.
Along the way, we learned some profound things — our well-being is determined by:
Whether we feel our lives have Purpose – making a valuable contribution to society.
The richness of our Relationships – a better predictor of health than our cholesterol level, more important to happiness than our income.
Sustaining Resilience – the strength to bounce back from setbacks.
Maintaining Presence – complete engagement in the current moment.
When I was at my lowest, my pain was visible to everyone.
I was devoting almost all my energy to work, chasing the wrong stuff. Stuff that I didn’t even really care about, but I just got caught up in the game, because any game I played, I played to win.
Many of us are playing to win in the wrong game.
We spend most of our time managing our careers and leave everything else to chance.
We think we will be happy when we get that promotion, reach our wealth target, get that big house. In fact, often the opposite happens because our appetite just gets bigger.
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There is a better way. We want to help you find it.
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Ron LaSalvia
Founder and Head Coach
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Ron LaSalvia
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Ron's mission is to help leaders manifest their potential and to live a life of purpose and deep connection. Ron has applied his leadership skills in widely varying settings, providing a deep perspective on leadership and organizational success.
After graduating from MIT as the top Navy midshipman, Ron served 24 years in the U.S. Navy, where he commanded two nuclear powered fast attack submarines and was ranked the top submarine commander in his squadron two years running.
After the Navy, Ron attended Wharton business school at the University of Pennsylvania, where he was recognized as a Palmer Scholar, Wharton’s highest honor. Ron then served as COO of a strategy consulting firm where he ran the firm's military and energy practices.
Ron served as President and COO of a public technology company, where he managed a P&L of over $1.5B. After years of responsibility for a public company P&L, Ron burned out and embarked on a journey of self-discovery to understand what happened and why. He studied happiness, well-being, relationships, positive psychology, ancient wisdom and modern spirituality to put together a path to personal well-being. Fueled by a desire to help others, Ron founded
