By Lisa Martin

It’s no secret that career-life effectiveness is one of the most significant issues facing top talent and organizations today.

As the author of a bestselling work-life balance book, I’ve helped thousands of over-whelmed high-performers reduce stress, avoid burnout, maximize their effectiveness and create career-life harmony.

I strongly believe for any individual to have a truly successful and sustainable career, they must start with a solid career-life foundation. As the old saying goes: “The deeper the foundation; the taller the skyscraper.”

You may be able to advance your career to the next level, but without a strong sense of self, priorities and a career plan chances are you won’t be able to sustain it. Alternatively, if you fear moving ahead in your career most likely it’s because you feel unready or worried about work-life conflict.

Here are four steps you can take to maximize your talent and achieve a spectacular career.

1. Ensure your career-life vision is your foundation It’s difficult to determine your direction if you do not know your destination. Take the time to reflect on what career-life balance means to you. What is the ideal combination of self, family and career for you and what does that look like now, one-year and five years from now? Do you want to take a promotion or the off-ramp? Would you like a larger team or no direct reports? Do you desire the summer off or a series of mini-vacations? Write down your vision. This is your true north.

2. Articulate your values, purpose and talents No one can tell you what is important to you. You need to discover your values, purpose and talents. Your values are your moral compass – when you are expressing them you feel at your most purposeful and peaceful. Do you value beauty, adventure, growth, freedom, connection, or spirituality? Learn to name your values so they can guide your decisions.

Your purpose is why you are engaged in your career besides making money. In other words, it’s why do you do what you do. My purpose: improving lives. That’s what motivates and excites me about the work that I do. What excites you?

And finally, get clear on your unique traits and talents. If you were a superhero, what would be your superpower? Is it negotiation, communication, motivation, leadership, humor, patience or diplomacy? What comes naturally and you take for granted is often your core talent. If you are unclear, ask someone you trust to name your talents.

3. Define your career plan Do you want a career by design or by default? Now many leaders will tell you that they didn’t have a “plan” for their career; it just happened. That may be the case, but my guess is that they had more than an inkling as to where they were headed. Map out where you want to go and in what timeframe. Identify sponsors and or mentors who can help you get there. Invest in your professional development and you are on your way.

4. Align your choices and priorities Forget having it all, all of the time. That’s a one-way road to burnout. (I know I’ve been there – it’s not a pleasant trip and I don’t advise taking it.) What you can have is what matters most…and what matters most are your priorities. A sense of “balance” comes from marrying the choices you make everyday with your priorities and your ideal level of activity. Achieving harmony between your career and life looks different for each person. Know what is right for you.

It’s really quite simple (not necessarily easy), when you are clear about who you are and what you want, you will naturally begin to make the choices and take the actions that will lead you down your right path to maximize your career and contributions.

© Copyright 2010. Lisa Martin. All rights reserved.