This it tough for me to admit, but even though I love my kids and love my wife, for years I made choices that put my business, my career, and my professional success above them.
- Working from 7pm-2am on a Saturday night or 1-2 nights during the week
- Telling Jenny (my wife) I’d be home by 6pm or that I was “on my way” when I wasn’t and then making up some lame excuse for why I showed up at 7:30pm (again)
- Being on my phone trying to catch up on emails, responding to work texts or taking work calls while I’m at my kids’ games
- I even once planned an offsite leadership retreat for my team on my daughter’s birthday.
Don’t get me wrong, I spent a lot of quality time with my kids and my wife over the years. By no means was I an absentee father, but if I’m really honest with myself, for the better part of a decade, work was the true priority.
Work got the best of my mental and emotional energy. It’s where my mind naturally and effortlessly drifted, constantly.
I loved to work. I loved to build things.
I loved to set goals and chase them.
I loved the adrenaline rush of delivering something incredible in the 11th hour.
I loved solving big problems.
I loved winning.
There were many times where even a few days into a vacation, I couldn’t wait to get back to work. I couldn’t shut it off.
This isn’t a confession J – this is the backdrop to something really valuable ↓
While I’ve nowhere near “arrived” in this arena, I will tell you, I’m not the same man I was even 2 years ago.
This year I invested over $30k to join a high-end mastermind coaching community. We only meet 2x a year in person and attending these events generates hundreds of thousands of dollars for my business.
Only problem was, this fall’s event overlapped with one of Tate’s football games.
In the past, I’d think “It’s only one game, he’ll be fine. This event is critical to taking my business to the next level. Not going would set me back 6-12mos from where it could’ve been.”
But this time, something was different.
The decision was crystal clear.
“I’m not missing one of his games. He’s a senior in high school. I only have one chance to be with my son in this time of his life and I’m choosing it.”
For years, God has been actively working on uprooting the idol of success and achievement from my heart. And this decision to forgo one of these big events and put my family ahead of building my business was evidence of it.
I still enjoy working. I still set big goals. I still enjoy building, achieving and winning. But my LOVE of those things has taken a back seat to love of something FAR better.
I’m not sharing this so you think I’m awesome. I’m not.
I share this because perhaps you need a wake-up call. Perhaps you need to pause and ask yourself an important question:
“What’s the real priority right now in my life?”
I promise you; your family already knows that answer.
Love your work,
but don’t love it more than you love what really matters.
That’s a decision you will never regret.
