The Satisfied Last Breath
Geoff Hetherington
Executive Coach. Consultant. Advisor. Fractional CEO for a select few. Move into your Next Chapter & away from being a Corporate Captive. Avoid a Midlife Crisis Cliché. Live on your terms with more Time, Money & Meaning.
My clients know I believe that work-life balance is a furphy – there is only focus & energy & where you choose to put it at any particular time. But sometimes we have to think about that choice. Imagine this – you are about to take your penultimate breath – are you satisfied?
Satisfied with the 100-hour weeks? The missed sports days/graduations/anniversaries et al?
If we believe Gary Vee that is what it takes to succeed. There is no shortage of quotes about working harder & longer from Musk, Jobs, Bezos, & too many others. If what you are doing is truly life-altering – removing poverty, solving climate change – then working those long, long hours might be worth sacrificing a satisfied life for. Maybe.
Working that hard as an Entrepreneur / Executive is unavoidable at times- but it should never become your norm. Not if you want to be satisfied.
We work hard to give our loved ones the best life we possibly can –often confusing providing it with being a part of it. For them (& you) you being there is more important than you know. It's little things that make the biggest difference in the lives of the people we love.
The majority of us aren’t Musk, Vee Jobs, or Bezos. We get about 940 Saturdays with our kids, 260 gone by age 5. Doesn’t leave a lot to be a part of.
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Being involved with your family isn’t just a nice to have – numerous studies have shown that it is essential to our mental & physical health. And our satisfaction.
Me? I think you should take time to exercise, meditate, sleep well, read bedtime stories, walk the beach, throw the ball, and have a hobby that allows some me time & doesn’t involve business.
I’m not Vee, Musk or any of the rest. I doubt that I will be a household name – so what so I know?
There are very few people, that need to heed the 100-a-week, every week & do so realising that they will need to give up on creating a satisfied life.
For the rest of us – let’s not forget being a part of and not just the provider of a good life for our loved ones is what leads to a satisfied life.