"A career is wonderful, but you can't curl up with it on a cold night." -Marilyn Monroe, American Actress and Pop Icon, Marilyn Monroe books//

A successful career is definitely something to be thankful for in life; however, is it always worth the cost or sacrifices made? Unless you are independently wealthy, someone in your family has to work, and it's usually not doing something he or she is passionate about every day. Even people with the so-called "glamorous life," like Monroe, struggle to find happiness and fulfillment from a career alone. Relationships, though, tend to balance out a person's life, and it's much more rewarding to be successful at work if you can come home and share that success with someone you love. The sacrifices made to have a successful career seem worth it when you know it makes a positive difference in the lives of others, especially your family. It's sad when people put so much emphasis on success that they don't leave any time for other important things, like children, travel or leisure activities. All of these help to restore balance after a long work day or week, which one could argue is necessary for even greater success. It's important to be thankful for all the blessings in your life, but if the only blessing you have is success at work, then you're missing out on a lot of amazing experiences. Monroe seemed to understand this in her life and, unfortunately, the result was tragic. Sacrificing balance in life for success at work may not be the best strategy.