How to Mix Business With Pleasure (So Work Feels More Like Play)

May 18, 2018 | Blog

“If you do what you love, you’ll never work a day in your life.”

~ Marc Anthony

Have you ever wondered what it might be like to run a business which is deeply connected to your passions? Sounds idyllic? Outlandish even? The kind of thing others do, but not you? My mind conjures up images of artists, photographers and writers living the bohemian life waking up at 7am to write “morning pages”, to capture the landscape as it awakens, or nomads traveling the world with laptops, indulging in their passion for freedom, adventure, and exploring different cultures and landscapes.

While doing what you love sounds amazing and romantic, running a passion-fuelled business may also seem unrealistic or daunting. Lack of time, limiting beliefs, confidence, and not knowing what or where to start, are often the reasons why people don’t place their passions centre stage of their business. Passions dissolve into “dreams” or hobbies, or at worst are never discovered or totally neglected.

18

MAY, 2018

Business Development

Arches National Park Entrance Stateion, Moab, United States

Photograph by Dino Reichmuth via Unsplash

Perhaps you’ve been working all the hours in your business, have sacrificed weekends and social engagements, and then found yourself cramming in as much as you can (housework, trips to see family, and the shopping included). Before you know it, it’s Monday, and the cycle starts all over again. Perhaps you started out knowing what you wanted from your business, but months (or years even) down the line, the vision and reality don’t match up. You feel trapped in an outdated business that no longer suits you and, quite frankly, is too much like hard work.

You wonder what life would be like if you changed your business offerings, but the fear of making the wrong choice holds you back. You don’t know what else to offer, or what people really want from you anymore. In fact, it feels like you’ve pretty much lost sight of the shore. And what about those passions you have (or had)? You know the ones you half imagined could form part of your business? You just let them fade away into the background, while you bumbled along forcing everything else (you aren’t that passionate about) into place, getting further and further away from your vision, and even further still from the happiness your business was supposed to bring.

“When you want something, all the universe conspires in helping you to achieve it. ….. you start to realize that you‘re capable of far more than you imagined.”

Here’s the thing, “Working all the hours” and forcing things into existence, holds you back from your true potential and success. When all that keeps you going is striving to make enough money in order to pay the bills, then it’s time to reassess. When you’re disconnected from your passions and the deeper value and meaning your business holds, like what you really care about, then your business can feel like a chore. Every day you go through the motions, subconsciously self-sabotaging yourself with negative self-talk and lack of self-belief. Gay Hendricks talks about this is in his brilliant book, The Big Leapwhich I highly recommend for you to read, if you want to explore your false fears and beliefs, and start to break down your barriers to a better life and business.

If you’re saying, This sounds like me. Where do I even begin to resolve this? I want you to close your eyes and imagine you’re observing yourself from afar. What do you see? Then, imagine turning away and looking into the distance, at the horizon. Take a deep, calming, breathe and imagine yourself living a more freedom and passion-filled life. Once you’ve taken a few minutes to really indulge in this moment, take a journal and write out what you imagined.

This exercise helps us to connect with who we are at our heart-centre, to our authentic self, to our desires and passions, where everything is possible, where there are no boundaries, self-imposed or otherwise.

The truth is, when your focus is on surviving and striving – to make make 5, 6 or 7 figures, to show up all the time and elevate your status, you end up sacrificing the time and energy you need for your flow state. That state we are in when we are at total ease with ourselves and when we take inspired action.

If that sounds like you, then you can be sure you’re not alone.

But the fact is: you can still have a business you love, you can still rediscover the passion you had at the start and learn from what you’ve done so far to get you exactly where you really want to be.

You can even start doing that work today, All you need to do to start this off is a little brainstorming and visualizing, deep-rooted commitment to changing your current situation, and a willingness to take calculated risks. To think outside of the box. To take actions, perhaps, that feel a little scary at times, to take a chance on yourself. Only when you give yourself the permission to enter this state of flow and connect with your higher self, will you be in a position to receive all there is for you.

To start off you could brainstorm your Personal Passion Project. 

For this you’re going to need to set aside an hour or two of uninterrupted time. You could go to the park or a coffee shop, and take along your favourite journal and pens. The important thing is to find a quiet nook, and allow your mind wander.

I want you to imagine that money is not an obstacle for you, and that you have enough to get by every day and even have a little extra for fun and treats. And, essentially, you have the freedom to do whatever you want with your days. In your journal, make a list of all the things you’d do with your time if you were able to spend it however you wished. What activities do you imagine yourself doing? How do you feel? The most important element of this exercise is to not censor yourself and really allow yourself to explore what pops into your head, without having to consider if money is an issue or how you’d ever achieve it, or if you’d be good at it, etc. You’ll end up with is a list of possibilities, rather than a realistic set of business opportunities. At this stage, it’s all about brainstorming so you can return to your ideas later and make sense of them.

This visualisation process is one of the methods I use with my clients, to help them to connect with their core values, imagination, creativity, and inner wisdom. It’s hugely successful in helping you to bring ideas and dreams to the surface, to tap into what lights you up, and spring board you into taking inspired action.

“Imagination is the beginning of creation. You imagine what you desire; you will what you imagine; and at last you create what you will.”

With the right focus and determination, your passions can become the fuel for future happiness in your life and business. If you enjoyed this, then you’ll love my guided visualization and workbook, which takes you on an even deeper journey, to explore the lifestyle and business of your dreams. It’s an excellent first step for growing a more passion-fuelled, online coaching or service-based business.

 

Go here to >> create your own winning business recipe

 

How to Mix Business With Pleasure (So Work Feels More Like Play)

ENTREPRENEUR SPOTLIGHT

ENTREPRENEUR SPOTLIGHT

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