| Last Thursday night we flew from Cancun to Canada to celebrate Canadian Thanksgiving with Michelle’s family.
The journey was rough on poor lil' baby Isabella (and dear ol' dad)…
But thanks to SuperMom Michelle we got us back on track quickly.
While the flight was long (7 hours) the visit (7 days) will seem much too short.
And that reminds me of a piece of parenting advice that also applies to our business journeys:
The days are long but the years are short.
Isabella is crawling.
She’s tall, strong, and curious.
But she also cries, screams, and poops her diaper immediately after her bath (of course).
That’s when, as a parent, you must remind yourself that the days are long but the years are short.
We need the same mindset as business owners…
There will be long days dealing with…
- An upset customer… - A frustrated employee… - A computer/technology breakdown…
But if you aren’t present with your family while you persevere at work…
Suddenly one day you’ll be old and looking back and wondering where life went…
The days are long but the years are short.
Here’s another way to look at it…
If you’ve ever had a cast on your arm or leg it was probably there for 6 weeks.
It seemed like forever then, but just a blip in time looking back now.
For example, I broke my arm when I was 10.
I’m 47 now – which means I’ve been alive for 2,444 weeks.
Those 6 weeks in a cast were less than 0.2% of my(so far) life.
Less than 1/5th of 1%!!!
Let this serve as perspective the next time you have a 6 week – or even 6 month – business struggle.
It’s no big deal in the grand scheme of things.
No matter what you are going through…
The days are long but the years are short.
And if you’re going through a tough spell with your spouse…
Or if you’re in the final 6 weeks of a launch grind…
Or even a hardcore diet for a bodybuilding show…
Sit down with your spouse, your team, etc…
And tell them:
The next 6 weeks are gonna be tough.
But someday soon we’ll look back and marvel at what we learned, laugh at what makes us cry today, and celebrate the success that this sacrifice has brought into our lives.
“I hated every minute of training, but I said, 'Don't quit. Suffer now and live the rest of your life as a champion.'” – Muhammad Ali
Stay strong and push on!
Success Loves Speed,
Craig |
