Two friends were talking about their aspirations. Both had spent several years at the same company, enjoyed the work and the culture, and made advancements in their careers.

One friend was surprised to hear that the other had recently turned down a big promotion. He asked, “Are you sure you made the right decision? A move like that could’ve put you on easy street. Those opportunities don’t come around often.”

“Most people would agree with you,” the friend replied. “But I have a different take on the matter. I believe there is more to life than having a fancy title or big paycheck.

“There’s a price to be paid for that corner office. Long hours, a lot of travel and expectations that would require sacrifices I’m not willing to make,” he said. “The truth of the matter is that I already have my dream job. The money is good, the work is fulfilling and the work–life balance allows me to always be home in time for dinner. "I’ve never missed one of my son’s baseball games, and I’ve never left work at the end of the day mentally drained.”

“I never thought of it in those terms,” the first friend answered.

His friend continued, “Most of us spend so much time chasing after success that we don’t recognize what we already have is more than enough.”

Some of you reading this story will wonder if the friend is absolutely brilliant, totally lacking ambition or just giving in to the pressures of life.

I would say none of the above! This person has figured out better than most how to set priorities. Instead of living for work, she understands the concept of working to live.

It’s a trend that will not go out of style anytime soon. Studies show that Gen Xers and millennials are looking for work-life balance as they begin their careers or search for new opportunities.

Ryan Jenkins, author of “The Millennial Manual: The Complete How-To Guide to Manage, Develop and Engage Millennials at Work,” identifies work–life balance as one of 47 strategies central to working with the next generations of workers. He explains why:

-- It defines success. Millennials don't view climbing the corporate ladder or owning tangible items (house, car, etc.) as success. Instead, success is having control over how and when they work and accumulating various life experiences, which are enabled by a better work–life balance.

-- They're always on. Millennials are the first generation to enter the workforce with access to technology that enables them to seamlessly work remotely, and they are eager to capitalize on technological capabilities to create more flexibility and balance.

-- They're moving up. Nearly one-third of millennials say that managing their work, family and personal responsibilities has become more difficult in the past five years. Almost half of millennial managers around the globe reported an increase in their hours at a time when many are starting families (compared to 38% for Gen X and 28% for boomers).

-- They're dual income. Millennials are almost twice as likely to have a spouse or partner who works at least full time than boomers (78% versus 47%).

“The bottom line is that millennials are entering a stage of life when they are marrying, buying homes and having children at the same time that the demands of work are increasing, while they are equipped (and sometimes expected) to work 24/7. It's no wonder that millennials value work–life balance higher than all other job characteristics such as job progression, use of technology and a sense of meaning at work,” Jenkins says.

Generational expert Giselle Kovary concurs: “Many millennials don’t necessarily want to set clear boundaries between their work and their life. For a lot of people in this generational cohort, they prefer ‘work–life integration,’ an overall blending of work life and home life to allow time for both. This blurs the lines between work tasks and personal activities, which can include a person doing online shopping, checking social media, going to the gym or taking their dog for a walk during work hours while responding to work emails on evenings and weekends.

“As organizations shift into a new world of work, virtual teams and the ability to maximize flexibility through technology will become increasingly commonplace. Those organizations that capitalize on this and embrace the benefits will be able to attract and retain millennials and high performers from all generations.”

Mackay’s Moral: Learn how to balance, not juggle, your work and life.

Walt Disney was a giant in the world of imagination. On Saturdays, Disney took his daughters to a local park to ride the merry-go-round and play. While sitting on a bench watching his children enjoy their rides, Disney imagined an elaborate family park filled with happy people. He put every detail into place -- from the pirates of the Caribbean to Main Street USA.

This pioneer of family amusement had no similar facilities to draw ideas from. He relied on his imagination. Now, one particularly descriptive job title at Disney is “imagineer.”

Imagineering is the research and development arm of The Walt Disney Company, responsible for the creation, design and construction of Disney theme parks and attractions worldwide. There are illustrators, architects, engineers, lighting designers, show writers and graphic designers. They make the magic happen.

An article in Bits & Pieces magazine claims each of us possesses a secret superpower that often goes underutilized.

This ability:

-- Can help you find innovative solutions to everyday and complex problems.

-- Transcends time, space and limitations.

-- Stokes our creativity.

-- Travels faster than the speed of light or sound.

-- Like a muscle, gets stronger with use and exercise.

What is this awesome power?

The answer might surprise you: your imagination.

Always remember that if you can conceive it, you can create a plan, get to work and bring your vision to fruition. Dream up bold and positive opportunities or focus on improving minute details that can bring about impactful changes.

No matter who you are or what you do, your imagination is a special thing that makes you unique. Unlock your imagination and watch yourself soar toward endless possibilities.

“When we recognize that everything in our life was created twice, first as a thought and then as a thing, we begin to recognize the incredible power of the imagination,” according to life coach Pam Sterling.

Let your subconscious mind help you exercise your imagination. Try this technique used by Thomas Edison: Ten minutes before you go to sleep, organize your thoughts. Think about a problem you’re trying to solve or ask your brain a question. Keep thinking about this as you drift off to dreamland.

Then, during the first 10 minutes after waking up, write down whatever pops into your head. You’ll often find that your brain has answered your question during your sleep. In the morning, your mind is looser, and you’re more likely to remember dreams and connect them to your daytime reality.

Even if you don’t think of yourself as the creative type, you can always amp your imagination up with a little effort. Here are some strategies I like to try when I’m searching for an original idea or an innovative solution:

Meditate -- Spend some time each day visualizing something pleasant and peaceful. It doesn’t have to relate to anything you’re working on; just picture a lake, a forest or even a loved one. You’ll relax your brain and body while creating a mental environment that makes way for fresh thinking. Another brain stimulator for me is exercise.

Pretend -- Look at ordinary objects around you and pretend they’re something different. Challenge your mind to look at things from a new perspective. Turn them upside down or sideways and see what they morph into.

Try something new -- Break out of your routine on a regular basis. Read a book on a subject you’re unfamiliar with, try a new sport, talk to someone you don’t know well. Different experiences can help loosen up stiff ways of thinking about things.

Make some art -- Try sketching a picture or writing a poem. It doesn’t have to be a masterpiece. Give yourself permission to roam in an unconventional direction. You may see and hear the world differently later. Pablo Picasso didn’t listen to critics, and neither should you!

Mackay’s Moral: Anyone who thinks the sky is the limit has limited imagination.

There was a young boy who liked to gossip. His father gave him a bag of nails and told him that every time he gossiped, he should hammer a nail into the back fence.

The first day, the boy drove 37 nails into the fence. After that, they gradually dwindled down. He discovered it was easier to hold his tongue than to drive those nails into the fence. Finally the day came when the boy didn't gossip at all. He told his father about it, and the father suggested that the boy now pull out one nail for each day that he exercised restraint.

The days passed and the young boy was finally able to tell his father that all the nails were gone. The father took his son by the hand and led him to the fence. He said, "You have done well, my son, but look at the holes in the fence. The fence will never be the same. When you say things about other people, they leave scars just like these."

Think of gossip like the game most of us played as children where everyone sits in a circle and one person starts by whispering something in their neighbor's ear. That person then whispers what they heard in the next person's ear, and so on, until the last person is reached. The last person then tells what he or she heard. It's often fun to see how the initial message changes, drastically and quickly.

"Some people will believe anything if it is whispered to them," said Pierre de Marivaux, a French playwright from the 18th century.

Gossip and rumors have probably been part of the workplace culture since the days of the pyramids. ("Psst! I heard Cleopatra and that Roman dude are an item! Pass it on!") Although a certain amount of personal chitchat goes on in any workplace, gossiping employees can erode trust among co-workers and infect a team with dissension and hostility.

To keep rumors from gaining a foothold in your organization, follow this advice:

Improve general communications. Employees will believe rumors if they don't have access to facts. Even in tough times, give your people as much information as you can so they can rely on solid data, not half-truths. If you can't share news, explain why, so you don't appear to be hiding anything.

Confront rumors directly. If you catch wind of an untrue rumor, go to the source and set him or her straight, explaining the damage that false information can cause. Clear up the confusion with your entire workforce right away. They may think twice about spreading or believing rumors if they know you're ready to step in.

Set the right example. Don't listen to gossip that comes your way. Either correct any misinformation immediately, or explain that you're not interested in rumors. Don't pass along any unsubstantiated stories yourself. Let the gossip stop with you. If people persist in spreading rumors, suggest that they need more work to do.

Research has found that the people who talked trash about someone else unwittingly painted themselves with the same brush. When queried, recipients of gossip (the listeners) consistently attributed any negative traits they heard about a third party to the person delivering the gossip. The finding held even when listeners were told that the statements did not describe the person doing the sniping.

On the bright side: The same is true when the talk is positive. Believe it or not, not all gossip has to be bad. The grapevine can be a valuable source of information that can help you in your career.

Consider that some gossip can be intentional leaks of information you should know, and if you learn who is worth listening to, you can develop a sense of what's ahead for your organization.

Listen thoughtfully and don't feel like you have to add a comment. Adding grist to the mill may come back to haunt you, so hold your tongue and weigh the information you are receiving before you pass judgment.

Think of gossip like soft butter. It's easy to spread and adds a little flavor to just about everything. But trying to "unspread" it is just about impossible. There is always a little residue left behind, a greasy spot that's hard to clean up.

Think about that before you try to butter someone up with a little juicy gossip.

Mackay's Moral: If people would not carry gossip, it would not go so far.