Years ago, I had the pleasure of sharing breakfast with Ivan Misner, founder of BNI, the largest networking organization in the world.
After hearing about my full calendar of speaking, consulting and traveling, he asked, “What do you do for fun?”
Long pause. I finally dug deep and came up with “I walk my dog around the lake.”
Please don’t get me wrong. I love what I do. I am grateful to have the opportunity to do work that makes a positive difference… it’s just that I was going 24/7.
That conversation (and several other wake-up calls) motivated me to set out on my Year by the Water – exactly 8 years ago this week!
I didn’t abandon my business … I just took it on the road. As James Taylor said when he took a break from touring to write and produce a new album; “I didn’t quit work – I did a different kind of work.”
I’ve distilled a few of my lessons-learned (many of which disrupted everything I thought I knew about what real success and being a good person looks like) in the graphic below.
Hope you find these quotes and insights inspiring and they help you create a more fulfilling life TODAY… not someday.
ACTION
Grab your journal and let your pen flow when reflecting on these questions:
What is my definition of success? Where did that belief come from?
What things that bring me joy am I waiting for “someday” to pursue?
How can I integrate things that bring me joy into my daily routine, even in small ways?
What am I gaining or losing from NOT doing the things that bring me joy?
