Some of you may be wondering what kind business article this might be. Those who follow my Rant’s know that I often share content that is not typical in business publishing. This is one of those pieces.
It’s been said, “The only things certain in life are death and taxes.” As time marches on we continue to work hard to achieve our goals. I love what I do and I know I definitely work too many hours, but my perspective on this is starting to change. At 50-something, with a good business and a great family, I realize more than ever that there are more important things than working ALL the time. For instance, my son is 16, driving himself to places and looking at colleges. Geez…what happened to the little kid I used to play catch with? Click here for my Video Rant on this topic.
One of my good industry friends, Rod Brown, CAS, is the CFO of multi-million dollar distributor company, Made To Order… and who serves on the PPAI Board of Directors, takes off over a month in the summer to spend time with his family. Rod has a place on a small remote island in Washington. He says the cell reception is bad and Internet service is painfully slow there. I personally would go nuts … but that’s just me.
Rod shared with me a bit of what he’s done during these summer breaks. “We have been traveling the world and teaching (our) sons to fish, to boat, to use tools, read charts and tides, tie knots, learn the ocean, the stars, and build a bonfire. We have rafted and canoed, rode the sand dunes on ATVs from Oregon to Baja, skied on water and snow and seen sights from Venice to Africa, caught fish from Alaska to Key West. I hope when I am done, looking back on life, I feel I did well with my investments.”
He explained that during this season people understand that they may not get an immediate response from him. In our fast paced business world, how can that work? Surprisingly it does work. While the concept may seem as radical to you as it does to me, it is possible to stop working all the time, beginning with “baby steps.”
Industry motivator Ron Baron talks about this in a short video: Don’t Work Next Thursday Afternoon. This concept will be explored further with practical application on our 4-night Motivational Cruise to the Bahamas in September. For less than $80.00 a day including port taxes, you can enjoy great food, Las Vegas-style entertainment, and life changing education. Click here for more information. If you act now, you will get a $25.00 on-board credit. Time away on a cruise ship will do wonders to help you relax!
This is an important topic. As part of our new SuccessTracks program, we are introducing an ongoing series of online events, sharing personal development strategies that will have a positive impact on your personal and professional life. Our first Life Changing Conversation on Topics that Matter features guest contributor Rod Brown.
Rod will share from Guemes Island in Washington State. Ron Baron and myself will be your hosts for this event. All participants will receive a stress-relieving tool and sample kit from Magna-Tel.
Click here to register for this free event. Give us 35 minutes and we’ll give you an hour that will make your day. (It’s like investing 35 minutes and getting 25 minutes at no additional cost!)
In a recent conversation with Rod, he brought up a story he read on people’s regrets prior to dying. With the help of Google I tracked down the article.
Bronnie Ware is an Australian nurse who spent several years working in palliative care, caring for patients in the last 12 weeks of their lives. She recorded their dying epiphanies in a blog called Inspiration and Chai. In this article, 5 Regrets of the Dying she reveals the most common regrets we have at the end of our lives.
Ware talks about the phenomenal clarity of vision that people gain at the end of their lives, and how we might learn from their wisdom. “When questioned about any regrets they had or anything they would do differently,” she says, “common themes surfaced again and again.”
At the top of the list, from men in particular, is “I Wish I Hadn’t Worked So Hard.” She shares, “This came from every male patient that I nursed. They missed their children’s youth and their partner’s companionship. Women also spoke of this regret, but as most were from an older generation, many of the female patients had not been breadwinners. All of the men I nursed deeply regretted spending so much of their lives on the treadmill of a work existence.”
Another consistent theme was “I Wish That I Had Let Myself be Happier.” She writes, “This is a surprisingly common one. Many did not realize until the end that happiness is a choice. They had stayed stuck in old patterns and habits. The so-called ‘comfort’ of familiarity overflowed into their emotions, as well as their physical lives. Fear of change had them pretending to others, and to their selves, that they were content, when deep within, they longed to laugh properly and have silliness in their life again.”
Many of us are uncomfortable with this subject, but my goal is stimulate thought and offer beneficial content that will have a positive impact on your life and business. Life is filled with choices. You have the opportunity to take the time to enjoy your life, if you choose to take it.
Here are a couple of additional resources you may find helpful:
5 Tips to Avoid Burnout
As a confessed workaholic, I found the Tips in this article to be good practical things that we all can benefit from. (Even if we can’t take an extended vacation.) Click here for the article.
Are You a Workaholic?
I confess to being a workaholic … BUT I’m trying to do better! For more on this topic and a workaholic test you can take, click here.
Make it a great day!
Jeff Solomon, MAS- MASI is affiliated with a large distributor company. The FreePromoTips.com website and e-newsletters he publishes are packed with beneficial information and exclusive FREE offers from a few forward-thinking supplier companies. Don’t miss out on what’s happening! Opt in to receive their e-newsletters! LIKE their page on Facebook and follow them on Twitter. Jeff can also be found on Linkedin.
