You've probably heard of books like The 4-Hour Work Week and The
E-Myth. They teach entrepreneurs how to delegate and liberate themselves
from the day-to-day operations of their business so they can do what they've
always dreamed of doing -- sit back and watch the revenues roll in. It's the
great American dream - right?
Here's something few people talk about ... when you get to that point, what
do you do with yourself? Sure, you think you'll travel, you'll see the world,
you'll take up golf or painting. And that's all great. But if you're a work-a-holic
who has finally been able to delegate the majority of the day-to-day tasks of
your business, there's a lot of junk that goes on in your head when shifting
from "doing" to "being."
For example, I took off the month of June, yep, I took it off. I worked in my garden,
spent time with my 6 kids, went on a family vacation. I think it's the most
amount of time I've spent outside work in 19 years. The only thing I did was
monitor emails and post a few fun updates to Facebook. Everything else in my
business is automated or delegated. It's a liberating place to be. And since Independence
Day is coming up in the US, I thought I'd chat a little with you about the
typical traps the independent entrepreneur tends to fall into.
1) We feel guilty. "I should be working. It's not right that
these revenues should flow in so easily with so little effort."
2) We feel fear. "Oh, no, what if I cut back on the time I spend
in my business and it all falls apart?"
3) We don't know what do with ourselves. "Hmmm... maybe I should
start a new project?" If work is all we know and are, we'll fall into the
trap of creating more work for ourselves instead of actually living and being.
As Ann Quindlen, an essayist and novelists said, "You cannot be really first-rate at your work if your work is all you are."
I don't claim to have all the answers. I'm in the midst of this, but a few
things that have helped me are the following:
a) Immerse yourself in a relaxing, yet productive hobby. In my case
it's gardening.
b) Take a vacation. Go somewhere you've always wanted to go.
c) Spend quality time with those you love.
d) Journal. Each morning after I work in my garden, I sit on my back
deck and journal whatever's on my mind. It's amazing how therapeutic journaling
is and how much more clearly I see the world. I've even used a few of my journal
entries in my blog.
e) Take action from a place of stillness. Contrary to what you'd think
from the title, my ecourse How
to Get More Done in a Day than Most People Accomplish in a Week isn't
about being a rat on a wheel. It's about delegation, automation, and operating
with focus and serenity. Had I not learned these principles, I'd probably be
filling this gap with a bunch of busy work instead of enjoying it thoroughly.
Those are my ideas. I'd love to hear from you. What are some of the typical
traps you've found and how have you sidestepped them?
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