A few weeks ago, I was completing a job application for the first time in probably 25+ years.
As a licensed captain and certified sailing instructor, I truly enjoy sharing my knowledge and passion for the sea with others. Whether I am teaching sailing, or captaining a charter boat for a corporate event, or for longer overnight trips.
In this case, I was looking into captaining a boat for people who go Parasailing.
The business owner didn’t really want to discuss the job until I completed the job application and being intrigued, I did just that. A very humbling experience!
After I completed the 2-page job application, we talked about what I currently do, and when it came to the part of teaching sailing and doing charters, I said to him “I do it when I feel like it”.
That’s right! I teach sailing and do charters when I feel like it You see, I run my business, so that it complements my life. For me, life is about enjoyment, doing things that make me happy and working on and in my business. But it is not JUST about work and business!
How about you? How are you running your business? Is your business complimenting your life, or are you spending the “leftover time” living, after spending most of it working?
There is nothing wrong with either one if it is by choice and not by necessity.
It is totally fine working long hours, when it is a “want to”, rather than a “have to”.
However, when it comes from a point of necessity and scarcity, you may want to take another look at what you are currently doing, and whether your business is serving you.
It’s NOT an either or. Rather, it is and AND world.
The things I don’t enjoy doing, I outsource and delegate!
Think about the last time you went on vacation or how you spend your time outside of work.
You probably did something that you enjoyed, and you considered to be fun, didn’t you?
Then why do many business owners engage in activities and tasks they don’t enjoy?
When you do that, you are most likely putting them off and are procrastinating until these things absolutely must get done, don’t you?
And in the meantime, you keep thinking about them, making excuses as to why now is not a good time to do them and all of that takes energy away and slows down your progress.
Remember, activity does not necessarily mean productivity, nor does it mean progress.
Ask yourself these 3 questions:
- Is my business running my personal life, or am I in control of both?
- What income generating activities do I enjoy and can do more of?
- What tasks do I avoid doing, keep putting off and can be delegated?
Then the final question:
What specific action do I want to take, so that I turn activity into increased productivity and progress.
