Intentionally Block time for the important people in your life.

Leadership Principle: Intentionally Block time for the important people in your life.

Leading your company and doing what you love is like a videogame that you really enjoy. You get hooked. And you want to keep going. Jump every level. And when you are hooked, you want to stay a little longer, do a little more. Sooner or later, you start skipping dinner, working from home, making calls when you are at home, or at a party. And soon you start skipping reunions, gatherings, and other things all together. Ohhh but don′t worry about them. At the beginning they will complain. However, life will go on. Your loved ones will adapt. They will grow. They will expand. Only one day you may find that you are only a visitor of your own making in the life of the people you love.?

No matter what -? intentionally block time for the important people in your life.?

Twenty years ago Michael started his company with only $6,000 dollars in his pocket and turned into a very successful designer and manufacturer of turnkey robotic manufacturing solutions for giants in the automotive industry.?

I saw him today. He is older now. His children have grown and left home. All graduated college. Some married, and he even has two grandchildren. He sold his company a few years ago, he is living with his wife, and is now fully dedicated to living another one of his passions.?

I admire his trajectory, and in reflection asked him: “what is one lesson that if you could you go back you would teach your younger self. That motivated, passionate young entrepreneur and visionary leader ready to pursue his dream and conquer the world?”?

“Easy” he said. “Always lead with passion, AND no matter what, intentionally block time every day and every week for the important people in your life. Make it intentional. And make it happen.”

And then he paused and in a reflective tone of voice, he went on.?

Building my company was exciting, it was challenging. It was addictive. Everyday there were many things to do, many problems to solve. And it would stimulate my creativity, my passion, my emotions. At times it was scary, other times it was exhilarating, other times it was joyful and very rewarding. Every step we took, every single step forward, and every success is memorable.?

I mean, just imagine what it feels doing what you love, going where you′ve never been before, accomplishing what you have never accomplished before. It IS exhilarating. And it IS addicting.?

However, as I ended up spending all of my time on it. At first, I easily stayed past 6:30 in the office, then it slipped onto 7, 8, 9.?

When I went home, I brought my work home with me.? I made calls. I read. I did reports. I even took my dinner plate to my desk, hacked on the computer until I could not keep my eyes open. Weekdays and Weekends.?

First, it was all about getting customers and selling new projects. Then we got the projects and it was all about building the systems. Design, build, program, test, deliver, expand, equip. Sell some more. And we became successful. And the more success we had, the more purchase orders we received, the bigger the challenges, and the tighter the deadlines.?

I was completely hooked and enjoying the rush. Like an addict on a constant high.?

I started to miss dinner, events at home, and family gatherings. And when I went I was there but not there, my mind wandered, I took phone calls, did work on the phone. It did not take long for my family to stop including me in the conversations and for me to begin to feel like a stranger at my own family′s events. I could not follow their stories at the dinner table and I could not laugh at the funny memories my children had made.?

However the funny thing is that in my mind, I felt justified. I was doing it for all of us. And if anyone objected, I felt misunderstood. I had a company to run. We had projects, we had customers, we were expanding, we had a project to complete. “I have to be there. My team needs me. The customer needs me.”

One thing you do not realize is that life around you goes on and things will get solved. My wife took care of everything at home. If anything broke down, she made sure to get it fixed. If there was trouble at school, she took care of it. And she did a fabulous job taking care of our home and raising incredible kids and a united family.?

While I was “busy” I just assumed everything was OK and that by working hard I would somehow continue to be a part of their memories and their life. But little by little I left myself out of their life, all on my own doing. In the early years, I knew about my children's and family events before they happened. In time, I only found out in conversation.?

I am fortunate to still have a wonderful wife and family and I have great grownup children whom I love and adore, and I have since worked on myself and on them to be more present in their life.?

But you asked me - what is the one thing I would recommend, advise and teach my younger self and every motivated entrepreneur and visionary leader :?

Always lead with passion, AND no matter what, intentionally block time every day and every week for the important people in your life. Make it intentional and make it happen. Dedicating intentional time every day to your family and yourself will not only keep you centered and give you joy, it will give you the extra energy you need to keep your dream and the possibility you have created alive.?