Something I’ve mentioned before a few times is the importance of a long-term outlook and vision for your business.
As an entrepreneur and the one in charge of the business’s future it’s up to you to steer the ship.
But sometimes only looking at the long-term can get you in trouble. I’m talking about in business and in life.
I’ve read a quote a couple times the last few weeks:
We overestimate what we can do in one year and underestimate what we can do in ten.
I think that’s very true. I think about things I’ve tried to do in the past and I’ve fallen right in line with that quote. From an entrepreneur’s perspective it really makes sense, but it also fits well for life in general with yourself and with your family.
Understanding Day-To-Day Patience
So when you’re thinking ahead all the time it’s easy to get impatient about things that you have on the schedule. This has been happening to me in a few different ways both in work and in regular life.
I guess maybe that puts me in the Type A personality area. I like to make plans and then get rolling on those plans. And I don’t like knowing the unknown. More on that in the next section.
But for me it’s about taking a step back and letting things play out over the long-term. It might not go exactly as planned, but usually if you set yourself on the right path you will see things work out in your favor as long as you have the patience to still enjoy each day.
Letting Stress Get To You (Things We Can’t Control)
Now I need to get back to understanding the things I can’t control. I think that fits in well with this theme. Let’s say you have an important meeting coming up in a few days or a few weeks.
It can drive you crazy preparing for that meeting. You think about it and think about it. You wish it would just get hear already and before you even realize it you’re stressed out and everything you need to do today is suffering.
That happens to me when I’m waiting for things. So what I try to do is let the things I can’t control go. I focus on what I can do in the meantime to prepare a little more. And I’m satisfied with those things that I accomplish each day.
And I’ll add in other items to my short-term schedule so my mind is occupied.
Having the patience and understanding to let go what you can’t control helps your stress levels. And that’s good for you on all levels including your work and your personal life.
Knowing The Importance Of Rest
Finally, I try to pay attention to the rest I’m getting each day. If you’re thinking long-term it can be easy to get into some bad habits. You start telling yourself that you’ll change a habit tomorrow or that you have plenty of time to reach that goal.
But once you have a long-term vision it’s important to bring things back to the things you need to do each day to get you to that vision.
And part of that is getting enough rest. Stress can take a toll on your body and mind. That bleeds into your work and personal life. I’ve found that when I’m getting enough rest – both sleep and downtime…and recreation too – that I perform at my best. That goes for work and for personal life.
Final Thought
This post was good for me to step back from all the talk about long-term visions and remember to live in the present as well. It’s just as important to take care of what you can today while also keeping an eye on the future. It’s difficult as an entrepreneur. You have to juggle both, but if you can do it things seem to work out best.