Marc Randolph’s definition of success: balancing career and relationships

Marc Randolph, the cofounder of Netflix, had always been a man of vision and determination. Success for Marc wasn’t all about building a disruptive company or raking in more money; it was about finding balance and love, and people who mattered most in his life.

So, on one Tuesday afternoon, as the clock neared 5:00 PM, Marc was in the middle of an important meeting. His team was debating what the next big move was going to be for Netflix, but Marc had mentally checked out a

while ago. Tonight was date night with his wife, and nothing was going to get in the way of that. For over three

decades, Tuesday nights had been sacrosanct: rain or shine, he left the office at exactly 5:00 PM sharp to spend the evening with his best friend.

As the minutes ticked on, Marc glanced at his watch. It was 4:55 PM. He stood up, signaling the end of discussion. “Anything else, we will sort it out tomorrow,” he said emphatically. The team knew better than to insist. They had witnessed this every Tuesday for many years.

Marc shrugged on his coat and headed for the parking lot, where his wife was waiting. They drove downtown, talking about their day. Other times, they went to a movie; sometimes they had dinner at their favorite restaurant or window-shopped and simply enjoyed being together.

These Tuesday nights were more than a tradition; they were a lifeline. They kept Marc grounded and reminded

him of what truly mattered. Time and again, during the writing of his book, he would relate how such evenings helped put everything in perspective. No matter how crazy things got at work, he knew he always had this to look forward to.

Success for Marc didn’t involve how many companies he’d started or fortune amassed. Instead, it had to do with

relationships nurtured and balance maintained. He is most proud that, while having a successful career, he has been married to the same woman, raised kids who knew and liked him, and followed his passions outside of work.

As Marc and his wife strolled hand in hand that evening, he felt the journey had been worth it. Success to him

meant working on what he loved with people who did, too, and spending time with those who mattered most. For the first time, he actually felt successful.

From Marc Randolph’s LinkedIn profile, his own words about his success are:

“I’ve worked hard, for my entire career, to keep my life balanced with my job. In my book, I write about my Tuesday date nights with my wife. For over thirty years, I had a hard cut-off on Tuesdays. Rain or shine, I left at exactly 5 pm and spent the evening with my best friend. We would go to a movie, have dinner, or just go window-shopping downtown together. Nothing got in the way of that. No meeting, no conference call, no last-minute question or request. If you had something to say to me on Tuesday afternoon at 4:55, you had better say it on the way to the parking lot. If there was a crisis, we are going to wrap it up by 5:00. Those Tuesday nights kept me sane. And they put the rest of my work in perspective. I resolved a long time ago to not be one of those entrepreneurs on their 7th startup and their 7th wife. In fact, the thing I’m most proud of in my life is not the companies I started, it’s the fact that I was able to start them while staying married to the same woman; having my kids grow up knowing me and (best as I can tell) liking me, and being able to spend time pursuing the other passions in my life. That’s my definition of success.”

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