Keeping things in balance

I've been reflecting over this last week on how people become successful.

I believe passion is the first ingredient in success. Passion can overcome so many other LACKS. If a person has a dream, the passion to see that dream come true will push them forward.

I think the next thing you need is a plan. You need to know where you're going and how you're going to get there. You also need to know how to measure success along the path to your goals.

Then you need the vision to see beyond your goals to the next step. This is where many people miss it. They are so focused on accomplishing this first thing that they don't see how each step fits in to the overall picture.

Living a life of vision can be hard. It keeps us hungry. Once a goal is reached we are already in the process of reaching the next one. If you feel the need to control it can become very frustrating. But by recognizing the long term rewards, and keeping passion, it is also the most rewarding way to go.

But today I want to talk a bit about balance.

After spending the last 9 weeks working longer hours and harder hours than I have since college [and I may have even been working harder now than I did in college] I stepped back this week to look at where I was.

In my mentorship: I am working with some great people and look forward to their emails and questions. I am happy with my role as a mentor.

In my fiction: This area I want to improve in. I love writing fiction but since it is SLOW money [as I've described in previous blogs] it is easy to be pushed down the priority list. I am thrilled to have 2 novels that I'm currently writing as well as 2 in outline form and one that I'm actively editing. I look forward to a time in the next few months where I am able to get back to that on a more "full time" basis [that will likely be when I'm done homeschooling for the year in May]

In my teaching: I'm really thrilled here. Not only am I teaching a large class of editors but my part time job teaching high schoolers is going VERY well. I've been specifically requested by name twice in 2008. This is extremely flattering.

I'm also teaching more than a dozen editors at the Christian Pen and have public teaching I'll be doing in March.

Tiff the person: [wife and mom] This is the area that has gone through the most growth this week. This last weekend I was working on Saturday and realized how much I really have missed my kids these last 2 months. I'm with them all the time but I'm either teaching, cooking, cleaning, coming or going. I have only had 2 or 3 days since Christmas when I've been able to sit down for a full hour with one of my kids and do something FUN. That had to change. Last night I couldn't post my blog [despite Tuesdays being my highest traffic days] because I sat down with my 4 daughters and played a board game for almost 2 hours. And I have no regrets.

So look over your business plan, then look over your life. Are you keeping things in balance? All of us have seasons where there is a great deal of work that needs to be done. Don't feel guilt over it. Recognize it as a great season of opportunity and take advantage of it. But when that season is over, bring things back in to alignment. Spend time with those who matter most.

Remember, by keeping things in balance you will not only be more productive but you'll be happier.

I'll see all of you tomorrow!