Writing from Mexico… Here’s Why
August 28th, 2014 // 12:18 pm @ Scott Manning
I’d like to take a break from the regularly scheduled broadcast today and share with you what I call the “power of the working vacation” – this article could very well change your life.
Today I am writing to you from a quiet quaint little private resort outside the stretch of craziness in Cancun Mexico. I arrived today, took it all in, and am now about to share with you one of the most profound, impactful, and fun lessons I have ever before.
What you are about to read is not something understood by many, it is often neglected, ignored, or simply denied the opportunity to work for you.
Most people by human nature go from one extreme to the other in their life, they are either all on or all off, working or playing, never the two should meet.
You have heard the expression about “passion” and people finding work they love and things they would never retire or never see themselves doing anything other than what they are doing now to make money, creating a lifestyle, earn a living.
I have to tell you that being passionate or the best or even really good at something doesn’t make you prosperous or profitable or even successful, there is that stereotype that holds true in every profession called “the starving artist syndrome.”
Entrepreneurs are usually always focused on being a master of their craft or in love with what they do. They often forget who they serve and what the real purpose is, it is not for their own pleasure, entertainment, enjoyment or hobby.
Those who treat their job as their hobby usually are underpaid, underappreciated, and most certainly underutilizing themselves and their abilities.
By all of this, what I am pointing out is the necessity for you to focus as much on your “business” as you do your “craft” (or deliverable to your customers), and as much on yourself as you do anything or anyone else.
Here’s what happens, over time you get caught up in the routine, you get complacent, you lose your edge, your fire – that is just the way it is, there is no avoiding it, you can’t, you are after all human.
Trust me, I think myself less human and more super hero than most people, arrogantly so, perhaps, you can’t do what I do, play at the level of clients I serve without that feeling, not possible.
Same with you, I’m sure, same with all peak performers and star athletes and anyone with an EDGE and EGO, there is a desire and ambition to win and do more, be better, achieve faster, accelerate success, aggressively pursue their goals and objectives.
These people all live, work, play, and have an edge; just like an Axe with an Edge, after use it must be sharpened. Unfortunately, many people miss this point.
They find some glory in working long hours, beating themselves up week to week, day to day, and what they do not realize is – you have to have time to recuperate, time to unwind, time to relax, and time to sharpen your edge.
Here is where I change your life.
What the “A” players do is, they sharpen their axe for what they do, they hone their craft…they educate, learn, improve, take seminars, classes, learn from others, hire experts and use consultants and coaches – of course, that’s why I am here.
However, you can’t stop there. That is just the beginning.
You have to first and foremost take care of yourself. You have to take a break from “DOING” and spend sometime just “BEING” and “THINKING”.
You have to Stop. Not only to smell the roses but to look up and see where you are going, to check in with yourself, and make sure your compass is still pointed north.
There is a reason why NFL games are one per week – so they can recharge.
What are you doing to recharge?
What are you doing to sharpen your edge?
Here’s the problem, most people take this as a Vacation…and that is great, vacations are important, and you should pre-schedule them throughout the year. Travel is always the number one thing on probably anyone’s list, certainly the more affluent and successful, travel is or can be vacations – but – don’t mistake a vacation for what I am saying you need, that is essential for your growth and progress.
A Working Vacation – is where the magic happens.
I will keep with my Axe analogy for a moment, if you use the axe and then sit it down and give it a break and then pick it back up and use it again, it is not sharper, the person swinging might be recharged but the axe will still be dull.
This is why you must organize your life into 3 different types of “vacations”
First, the obvious, unplug and get away and be mindless…
Second, those that you leave your “daily routine” and go for training, development, “clinical” advancements – to be better, faster, more effective, more efficient at what you do.
Third, and they are the most important – WORKING/THINKING/BEING Vacations that serve your soul and nourish your vision and ambition, that truly recharge you not just with energy, rather FOCUS – DESIRE – a sense of expediency.
You see, when you take “normal vacations” most often people regret “going back to work” it was “too short” etc – well I’m sure your customers, employees, people you serve really appreciate that feeling.
Rather what you must have in your life to truly accelerate and elevate your prosperity and level of success, control, and autonomy is
MORE TIME FOR SELF-REFLECTION
For Planning the Victory
For Making your time more valuable
To work on your mind and purpose.
I call these working vacations – where I believe 5 things should happen.
1. You unplug from the “highest value” or most tedious, difficult, demanding part of your work, that which usually takes the most dedicated focus and attention. For me that is actual directly working with clients and doing consulting. For my dentists friends and clients and other doctors, it’s the actual “seeing of patients” usually it is “the thing you do” that you should unplug from.
2. You should use this time, not all of it, but maybe 1/5 of it to catch up on your list of things “weighing on your mind” or that you are behind on or need to clear up and execute or finish. Try to limit this to one day. But, this above all else should be your priority. The reality is this #2 item, you should have built into your weekly routine a few hours or half a day per week depending on how prolific you are.
3. You, most importantly, must have time to reflect, relax at the spa, read inspirational books, things that you might consider “self-help” or personal development…something that motivates you but also really forces you to reach deep into your heart, mind, body and challenge your thinking and acceptance of the way things are. If you have a partner or spouse or person who is significant to your life then you should include them in this or do two sessions.
I recommend this happens one-two days immersed and a little every morning every day.
4. You should have time to plan, organize, map out, schedule your success for the next period of time, my recommendation is to do these WEEKS once per quarter – for people who are really running fast, moving enterprises or have a lot going on you need a mini version of this monthly. But know this, annual, yearly, is not enough, there is a more elaborate version of the “annual planning, retreat concept” that I teach but this 5 part plan can’t be done once per year, really four times is optimal and it gives you something to look forward to and that is a secret in and of itself.
5. You continue to do very high level work that might not be the immediate “bring money in today” that is often overlooked or never reached during your day, week, or month, and you use this time to really dig deep in focused sessions where you can accomplish the work that makes all the rest of your life MORE meaningful, MORE valuable, and MORE significant.
This is where the magic happens. And most never ever reach it, because they do not give themselves the necessary time and environment to really thrive and reach the truest essence of what they do.
This is your trip to the top of the mountain to be able to look out and see the valley beneath you and to gaze off into the distance to see the next mountain pinnacle you wish to climb.
If you get caught up in what you do and forget why you are doing it, if you don’t take time to remember to work as much on yourself as you do your craft, your business, your employees, even your customers and family – you are never going to perform at the level you truly deserve and desire.
As I always say, it is not a matter of “how happy or successful you are” it is always about “how happy or successful you could be” if you kept striving to always be your best – this is about never accepting complacency, truly valuing life, and the opportunity you have.
You are running, building, working in, creating an ASSET a valuable ASSET in your life: your business – and if you want to be a serious entrepreneur, and a Master of not just what you do, but the life you live – then you must practice the philosophy of the working vacation!
Hey, you’ve never had a homework assignment you’ll enjoy more than this one…and nothing will ever prove as valuable as what I’m sharing with you today. It’s a life changer.
Best of all, it must and has to be done in a complete different environment than you are use to, preferably one that is new every time you do it, now that ought to give you something to do…plan your next working VACATION and repeat this process quarterly and watch your life and prosperity and your business grow and blossom like never before.
Category : Blog
