My friend Ted owns a successful retail business and a booming online shop. Ted volunteers in his community and has the usually family issues added in. Ted is a man with a lot of balls in the air.
Yesterday morning Ted called me. I’m sure neither of us remembers the real reason for his call, but we spent over an hour talking about why we do what we do. Ted had hit a wall in his life. He is working more and enjoying less. His statement to me was ‘why am I working so hard to be successful when it just means I work more?’ Ted’s passion for surfing is what made his business successful and yet, Ted no longer has time to surf.
It is one of those things that can happen to any of us. We begin a project or a business because it is something we feel passionate about. We are gung-ho and anxious to succeed. However, we forget to keep doing what made it our passion.
Ted shared with me that on the few times he had tried to surf this summer, he either felt such stress to catch as many waves as possible in the time he had allotted to surf or he felt so guilty that he couldn’t enjoy the experience. In the example of Ted, my advice was to take an hour three times each week to get back in the water and surf.
It is important to remember why you chose to begin. What passion drove you to begin your project? Are you still feeding that passion? Or have you allowed the project/business to steal your passion?
Coach T –
I do believe I am Ted’s long lost twin. 🙂
As an solopreneur, there is ALWAYS some work-related thing I can be doing. When I “dare” take time out to do something fun, there’s that (annoying) voice in the back of head questioning why I’m not working. (Like Ted’s guilt …)
I joined the masses in the pursuit of work/life balance. Talking with a good friend, I mentioned how difficult it was to keep everything in balance. Her view, it wasn’t so much about finding balance as it is finding work/life harmony.
I embraced her word — harmony. Thinking of work and life as two entities living in harmony, or two instruments contributing to a complete piece was liberating. Rather than “fighting for equal time” (balance) the concept of harmonious coexistence granted permission (in my mind anyway) to put down work, relax and enjoy.
Now, when I take an afternoon to have tea with the girls and try on silly hats, I enjoy it. Sure. I might work late into the night on things when I get home, but while I’m out having fun, I’m not fixated on what I have to do later.
In harmony, parts roll and run together. Some crescendo and others fall back (decrescendo). They don’t intrude on the important role they BOTH play in the composition — and in life. Difficult concept to maintain, admittedly, but uplifting and energizing when you let go and have fun. (Refreshed revives the zest for work …)
Very few things can work efficiently or effectively 24/7/365 — man, woman or machine. Making us “believe” that is the tough part.
NICE post.