Just a few hours…
I know a lot of entrepreneurs and business owners make it a habit to work late and work weekends. After all, it’s all about the hustle and outworking your competition. I find myself surprised by the number of people who ask if I can join a conference call or Skype in the evening or over the weekend. Until I realize I used to be that way. Before I had kids.
To not sacrifice my family just to shortcut success. Easier said than done when you’re an entrepreneur…
My Dad set the example on spending time with your kids. He knew that providing for us (financially) wasn’t his sole responsibility. Spending quality time and sharing experiences with us was just as important to him as putting food on the table. And I aspired to be like him in this way. To spend as much time as possible with my kids while they’re kids. To not sacrifice my family just to shortcut success. Easier said than done when you’re an entrepreneur…
I changed pretty much the moment my first daughter was born (we’re working on our third, a boy, at the moment). I wanted to be present. I became much more aware and tuned-in to my stress levels and the energy I was bringing to the family from my work. I realized that I could no longer operate in the same way, working all the time. I had to evolve as an entrepreneur and change my thinking. But before I did, I had a simple, but powerful epiphany.
You can spend years chasing fortune only to wake up one day with grown kids and an empty nest, wondering what the heck you were working for… and what you were trying to prove.
“Just a few hours” in the evenings and on the weekends is more than likely NOT what’s going to make a business succeed or fail. But if you’re married or have kids, “just a few hours” is more than likely what WILL impact your family and relationships (and health). I know it’s easy to justify putting in that extra hustle and even wear it as a coat of colors, but it shouldn’t be glorified if it’s your way of life. You can spend years chasing fortune only to wake up one day with grown kids and an empty nest, wondering what the heck you were working for… and what you were trying to prove.
It’s just a few hours. Choose wisely. Everyone has their own pace, their own stride. Nobody said you need an eight figure business overnight or that you need to work any particular amount of hours per day to be “successful.” Take your time, enjoy the ride, and you might find yourself actually enjoying being an entrepreneur and the freedom it brings.
Written by @robbyberthume on 8/19/2016. Copyright 2016 Robby Berthume.
