You probably desire creating something special with the time you have here on Earth.
You want to create a legacy that will be remembered for years and years to come.
You want your business to make a positive impact on other people.
And last but not least, you want to make a great income for yourself doing something you love to do, which will shed any future financial worry.
Most people hold onto the idea that when you start a business or a new venture of any kind; that you have to work really hard at the beginning to “get it off the ground”. You have to work on your passion project 20 hours a day, miss out on family functions, be glued to your computer, phone and basically dedicate a good 2-3 years of your life specifically to your craft. One of the worst parts that add to your stress is that your family and friends won’t even understand your drive and passion to create your dream career. They might support you, but they wonder why you are spending thanksgiving weekend on your computer, or family dinners checking your Facebook groups for new comments and connections. You’re not trying to be rude, but you just don’t want to miss out on any new business growth, or conversation that you can be included in.
So, why do you do this?
Because you hope it will pay off. You hope that putting in all of this sweat and tears will build you a strong foundation and steady success. You want to work more now, so that you can soon have an automated business that will one day run itself and have you financially stable… right?
These aspirations are great, but missing out on life around you isn’t. A resentment of missing out on your family functions will set in, and not just for you, but for the other people who are seeing the back of your phone or laptop. Severe burn out will occur, where you will feel so fried and tired of striving; that you can lose sight of your actual goals. You keep going and going and get caught in a hamster wheel that won’t stop. You happiness starts to dwindle.
You know deep down that you need to stay centered, keep a balanced life style and enjoy yourself more. You know that some needed time off will give you more inspiration and creativity. You know that you have to take time away for yourself, but you’re worried. You’re worried that any time away will create you a major set-back. You think people will notice your emails have not been checked, your email didn’t get sent out, your Facebook posts didn’t occur, etc. You want to take a day off, a week off, even a month off; but a wave of guilt washes over you. You start to feel as though you will lose the big race of life, that everything you’ve ever worked for will be flushed down the drain and that you will simply become forgotten.
But wait. Who said that it had to be this way? Who said that it had to be this or that? Who set this jam packed schedule for yourself? This wolf in sheep’s clothing schedule; that never allows you to quit, blocks you from truly seeing life for its beauty and keeps you from the enjoyment of “just being”? Who said that if you take time off, or even provided yourself a balanced schedule for that matter; that you would be set-back? Society? Others in your industry?
But that’s the big question isn’t it? Do you slow down so that you can actually enjoy living your life NOW… or do you persevere trying to build your business and make something of yourself, so that you have the time to enjoy your life LATER? It’s an entrepreneur’s inner battle.
It’s a bit of a quandary, but I think that deep down you know the answer.
It is great to stay busy doing something you love, setting big goals for yourself and striving towards greatness. I am absolutely this type of person too however, I am pretty sure that the secret of life is to enjoy yourself NOW in this moment. There have been many times in where I have sat with my loved ones, yet been on the computer oblivious to what is going on. There have been many holidays that I have only been “physically at”, while I’ve been off in internet land writing emails for my weekly mailer. There have been times that I just will not get back because I have been so involved with creating my big business. There are moments of your life that you will never be able to get back.
So is it worth it? Some say “no”, some say “yes”. I think the answer to this question is, “Does doing the things that you are doing to build your business, make you happy”? This is a modern time, where anything and everything is possible. You can literally create your business exactly how you want it, structuring it exactly how you want to. You can create a business in where you promote yourself in person, online through ads, or through social media. You can have personal clients, never talk to customers directly, or host group programs… the sky is the limit. There are no definitive answers. You have to keep checking in with yourself to see if the choices you are making and things you are doing, are bringing you joy. Are the Facebook groups you are being a part of; building you up, or are they tearing you down? Are the people you are surrounding yourself with making you feel empowered, or are they making you feel depleted?
As a workaholic entrepreneur that has come quite a long way with my how-to business mindset, I will leave you with this…
Life is about happiness and purpose and YES you can have both.
Always keep your mission in sight and the reason WHY you want to do what you are doing.
Enjoy all stages of your business adventure and all parts of the journey, for everything is a growing experience.
Only do the things that you want to do and that bring you joy.
And last but not least, enjoy yourself away from your business, for no business is worth missing out on the memories that create your life.
