You Are Building A Dream. Is It Yours...Or Someone Else's?

Life is about living, not trying to make it to The Top.

Career & business success can feel like your worth as a person. It is your publically facing image of how well you've done with your life. We do this initially to bring a measure of comfort & stability to our lives. Do we keep doing it because we assume that the more success we have, the happier & more content our whole life will be?

I've played the game and sacrificed years building society's version of success.

First, I worked as a dutiful employee for years trying to climb the corporate ladder. Then as an entrepreneur, I put my energy into being the best pharmacist I could be. Now I'm exploring what I want to do and what I'm meant to do.

I was doing what I 'should' do rather than what I wanted to do. Oh, how I wish I'd known about designing my professional life years ago. There's a deep, satisfying contentment from living a life by design.

It is so easy to chase second-hand goals.

Those are goals from the company you work for or people you admire. You feel "what they are doing is success, so you should be doing the exact same thing". You live a life of mimicking others.

The world is noisy. Everyone is clamoring for your eyeballs and attention. How do you tune out the noise and tune into what your heart wants to be doing? Tune into what you want your life to be like.

Take a vacation.

I recently got home from 2 weeks of bliss. Doing nothing work-related and enjoying myself like a little kid. I take several week-long vacations every year. They do wonders to help me reset, reassess, and get in touch with what I want.

Even if you don't go anywhere, take a total vacation from your professional life. Doing so helps you think about what it is you are trying so hard to achieve.

Why vacations are so helpful:

1. You think differently. Get out of the rut of day-to-day thinking. Daily worries, cares, concerns, and annoyances keep us running on a well-worn path. That kind of routine in thinking keeps you acting as you always have.
2. Your soul craves the beauty of this world. Humans weren't meant to sit in front of screens 14 hours a day. We live in a pretty gorgeous world. Getting outside in nature helps you feel connected to something greater. Plus, life on earth is such a miracle that you can't help but feel at least a little inspired after getting outside.
3. You strengthen those relationships that matter the most. Life is love. Few people matter to us the most in life. Vacations bring people together and put relationships first. What's the point of working so hard to take care of your family if it keeps you from spending plenty of quality time together? People are always more important than work. Always!
4. You are going to die. You have to live now. Retirement is years away and chances are you won't have the spunk then to do all those bucket list things anyway. When you live life and do the things you've always wanted to do you come back happier, fuller, and you have more to give. Work will always be there. People and experiences won't.
5. Your experiences make you richer. Experiences are one of the few things that you spend money on that make you much richer. You'll have a confidence, wisdom, and unique experience about you that won't come any other way.
6. When you save the memories of your vacation, you bond yourself to others in the future. Memories are the best investment in those we love. Not only does it strengthen relationships now, but it gives you a bond into the future. For example, I recently met someone from Scotland, and I'd visited that country 12 years. We had a fun connection and much to talk about, including little things like a shared favorite drink: IrnBru.
7. Your brain gets a break from the stupid dings & alerts. You get time to think.

Vacationing doesn’t have to break the bank. I've never been into super luxury vacations. For me, vacations are about shutting down the world, turning off my computer, being with those I love and exploring new places.

How to keep vacations cheap:

• I eat street food and don’t buy souvenirs.
• I stay in pretty affordable AirBnb/s (or stay with family/friends).
• No fancy spas or extreme experiences.
• Lots of national parks and hiking around

Hiking, talking, listening to podcasts, moving my body, and thinking in a new place does wonders.

You can tell I got off a vacation because that’s all I want to think and talk about. No fancy or stunning business advice this week. A total refresh and the pep to jump back into work with gusto…which may be a stunning business super secret after all. ;)

Think about the kind of life you want to have and then build that...instead of someone else's dream. Chances are if there is a clear path to what you what to achieve, it is someone else's path...not yours!

Jamie

PS- Whenever you're ready, there is 1 additional way I can help you:

• 🎙️ My Wealthy Whitecoat podcast is going strong! 🎙️ Subscribe to listen to a new episode every week here.