How to Love Your Business and Your Life

February 28th, 2017 Tags: Dexter Montgomery, Pamela Montgomery, transformation
Posted in How to Discover Your Purpose

Love Your Business and Your Life

How to Love Your Business and Your Life

How to love your business and your life is a natural question asked by many entrepreneurs. What must I do to feel satisfied? How do I know if I am making the right decision? These questions and others like them pop up from time to time as you make choices about your business, career, and life.  In this article, I will share with you a 3-step approach that I have used over the past few years to help me love my business and live a purposeful, productive, joyous life. This approach is for you:

·     if you do not want to settle for what comes your way;

·     if you want to live a life of joy, purpose, and peace;

·     if want to love your business and your life!

1.”Refill the Well”

In “The Artist’s Way,” a seminal book in the personal development movement, author Julia Cameron reminds us that creativity cannot survive in a vacuum. She recommends that writers and others spend time in nature, visiting museums, or pursuing other activities that “refill the well.”

How do you “refill the well?”

You can interfere with your desire to love your business and your life by working too much.  Sometimes you just need to get out of the office. In a recent post, I wrote about “Finding  Time for Yourself: Me Time.” You may find it helpful as you go through this process of determining how to love your business and your life.

When it comes to discovering your life’s purpose, you will want to get out and try new things. Now is the time to try out all those things you thought you might enjoy but never got around to doing.

For example, you could:

·     Take a yoga class

·     Train for a marathon

·     Learn to design jewelry

Only by trying out a variety of activities will you find those that bring you joy—and eliminate those you never want to do again.

2. Plan for New Experiences

 Start a list of things you would like to experience. This can be a living document that you continue to add to as new ideas come to you. It is also the document you will refer to as new opportunities present themselves.

But do not just list things.  Plan. Then do them. Add at least one new experience to your calendar every month, then do what it takes to fulfill that obligation with yourself. You might just discover a favorite new hobby, or meet your new business partner in that yoga class.  At the very least, you will be refilling your own well.  For example, last year I joined a new community organization to meet people who shared similar beliefs about community service. This year I was elected an officer of the group. As an officer, I am even more involved with the group’s projects and mission.

3. Consider the Possibilities

Many business advisors will tell you that the secret to a better business is focus.  For these business advisors, to be distracted by other opportunities or ideas is to dilute the power of your core business.

While this can be true in many cases, it can also cause the purpose-seeking entrepreneur to freeze in his tracks. You may be unwilling to move in any direction for fear of choosing the wrong one. Much like the college graduate who feels trapped in a job she hates, simply because that is what she knows. You may end up hating your business and wishing for a day job again, if you do not explore the possibilities.

Rather than wearing blinders that keep you too laser focused every moment, take some time to explore other possibilities. Look for complementary ideas that are a natural match for one another.

Do not be afraid to follow that winding path from time to time. You never know what you might discover around the next bend.

Therefore, it is important to loving your business and your life to create a list of future projects. This “Someday” list contains the projects and plans you want to do, but not right now. Much like your new experiences list, this is a living document where you will record every new project that crosses your mind. Some will be good. Many will not. But that is okay. The point is to not close your mind to the possibilities.  

Conclusion/Call to Action

In determining how to love your business and your life, I recommend a 3-step approach that will open a pathway to a joyful, purposeful life where you love your business and your life.  To love your business and your life remember to:

·     “Refill the Well”

·     Plan new Experiences

·     Consider the Possibilities

By following these 3-steps you are well on your way to creating the life of your dreams where you love your business and your life.

Leave a comment about the steps that you are taking to learn how to love your business and your life.

I am Pamela Montgomery, the attorney, author, and entrepreneur who helps you create the life of your dreams as you achieve uncommon results in your business and in your life!

Also published on Medium.