“No valid plans for the future can be made by those who have no capacity for living now.” ~ Alan Watts

There’s something special about owning your own business.

Every additional ounce of effort you put into it directly drives your success. You can see it right at the moment.

It’s so intoxicating and invigorating at the same time!

Over the years, that feeling has lead me to tell a few lies. Like these:

1. “Once I get this project finished, I’ll cut back on my work hours…”
2. “I just need to grind really hard for the next year or two, then we’ll have made it and I can slow down…”
3. “When I get up early before everyone else is up, I can put in a few extra hours without anyone missing me…”
4. “I’m young and healthy. If I skip workouts or dentist/doctor appointments for a few years, I’ll be fine.”
5. “If I just going to put in 2 hours on this project on Saturday morning, it will be finished.”
6. “I’m feeling fatigued today – I guess I haven’t had enough coffee.”

When I read these sentences all together like that, they seem like the kind of thing an addict would say, don’t they?

I mean, there’s always going to be another project, another hill to climb, another challenge. There’s no one asking me to work like this – no one but me.

As I’ve grown older, I’ve come to realize that the time to live is now.

The future is not guaranteed.

• If your health fails, how will it impact your business?
• If your relationships and support network deteriorate, is your business going to be enough for you?
• If the only way you know how to work is like this, how will you ever learn to stop?

The only thing that breaks this cycle for me is rest. Weekends off with no work, vacations, one day a month where I turn off my phone and computer for the whole day…time away from the business.

When was the last time you did that? Can you plan some time like that for this weekend?