Stop and examine what you consider is important in life, before it's too late....
Quote:
Originally Posted by
struth
I used to work 16 hrs a day 7 days a week. look what happened to me..... get it sorted Steve.. it aint worth it.
There's nothing wrong with working hard when you're young. It's character-building and fundamentally necessary to get somewhere and achieve good things. However, it has to be done SENSIBLY, and with a realistic goal in mind, and that's not to try and become "rich", but simply comfortably off, without having debts or wanting for anything important, and most of all, feeling HAPPY and contented with life.
Like you, I worked ridiculously long hours, building up my business, with 7-day weeks, overnighters and all sorts, for over 10 years, until it eventually burned me out. The stress was dreadful. And even before then, I was working long hours as a sales rep for an art supplies/picture framing company, which is where I learned the business, then left to go it alone. It's what intelligent people do, rather than continuing to line someone else's pockets with money you've generated...;)
Fortunately, even though those mad, extremely full-on years running the business nearly killed me, and had a seriously negative impact on my marriage and home life, not to mention my health, I'd managed to make enough money to go semi-retired (with the help also of some fortunate property investments). Not because I was "rich", but we'd managed to pay off our mortgage, and all other debts the business had accrued, including in times of difficulty when we had to borrow against credit cards, extend overdraft limits and all sorts, and so had secured a comfortable future.
That, and the fact that we don't have kids, live a relatively simple life, save enjoying nice food and wine (as is the norm for the majority of people who come from a continental culture), and aren't driven by having 'flash possessions' or the latest technological gadgetry, meant that the amount of money I was still earning, working from home on a part-time basis from regular corporate contracts I still had with large companies in Scotland, allowed us to pay the bills, and a little more. Plus also allow Del to do the job she LOVES as a teacher, without having to worry about looking after the house - and most importantly giving us some QUALITY TIME to spend together, rather than before when we hardly ever saw each other, as I was nearly always working.
Yes we had money back then, but we had no real life: we were merely existing, not living. Sounds familiar?
The fundamental change in our lifestyle since has made a massive difference to the quality of our lives and our marriage, as now we're closer than ever. Del enjoys coming home from work to a clean house, maintained garden, the cats looked after (whereas before they'd be left largely themselves all day), and a nice cup of tea or a cocktail waiting for her when she gets in! All possible because I have the TIME [a most precious commodity these days] to do that and other jobs that are required, including managing a couple of small properties we rent out locally, which also brings in a few quid.
Would I want to go back to earning the kind of money I did when running the business? Not a chance! Do I have less money now than I did then? Yes, big time. *BUT* it doesn't matter, because we've got more than enough to get by, and most importantly both of us are happier and more contented now than we've ever been.
Plus, and this is a *massive* thing too... Because I have the TIME to do what I want on any given day, I can look after my elderly father, not only in terms of doing chores for him, but spending QUALITY TIME with him, having meals together, etc, and making some nice memories, as he only lives down the road. At 86, I don't know how many more memories there are left to make, so I intend to make as many nice ones as I can, as you only get one dad!
So despite being "rich", how many of the money-obsessed workaholic nutters I've mentioned, could claim to have enjoyed such a close, long and loving relationship with their wives/partners or parents? I suspect few, because their GREED FOR GOLD, and misguided materialistic "purpose in life" will almost certainly have taken precedence.
Therefore, the workaholics and money-obsessives of this world, and who have wives and kids, friends or loved ones, should think about that *very carefully* when deciding on what to prioritise, and what *truly* matters in life.
Marco.