| He stood, gripping the sides of the counter, his | | | | to examine what is driving us to be a country |
| fingers white knuckled from the strain. I'd seen | | | | that represents 5% of the world population while |
| my boss, Mr. Burke, stand there countless times | | | | consuming over 30% of its resources. To bring |
| before, studying the inventory, looking for just | | | | this a little closer to home, ask yourself, "What |
| the right item for the customer, but I'd never | | | | am I building and why am I building it?" As many |
| seen him like this; his face and neck a livid red, his | | | | DOMOs are discovering, it's possible to live an |
| neck muscles strained, beads of sweat on a brow | | | | incredibly fulfilling life without working 60-70 hours |
| that only moments before had been dry.I heard | | | | a week -- and without feeling deprived.Joe |
| Allison, his assistant whisper, "Go get Mrs. Burke." | | | | Dominguez and Vicki Robin, co-authors of Your |
| Someone scampered away, relieved to escape | | | | Money or Your Life (Viking, 1992) say the |
| the tense scene. I stood there frozen, uncertain | | | | American dream has never been just about |
| what was happening, even more uncertain what | | | | materialism but somewhere we wandered off |
| to do. After all, I was just part-time help, spending | | | | course, equating a large home, fancy cars, and |
| a few summer months between college | | | | exotic vacations with happiness. During the 1970s |
| semesters learning about the real world of | | | | and 80s, many of us learned the hard way that |
| business.In a few moments, Mrs. Burke appeared, | | | | money alone doesn't buy happiness. Some of us |
| sized up the situation with a quick glance at her | | | | are still learning this maxim as we zipped through |
| husband's distraught face. She nodded for us to | | | | the 90s.Uncover The UnconsciousOne effective |
| leave them alone. We were only too happy to | | | | way to stop the spinning wheel of the hamster |
| oblige. As we walked towards the reception area, | | | | cage for a while is to ask yourself the questions |
| Allison took a deep breath and I suddenly realized | | | | below. Spend a little time with them, not looking |
| I'd not been breathing either. "He'll be all right," she | | | | for the right answers because they're not that |
| said reassuringly. "He gets this way sometimes. | | | | kind of question. Rather, these questions are |
| The demands of the business get to be too much | | | | designed to help you uncover some of the |
| for him, but Mrs. Burke is always able to calm him | | | | unconscious motivations that drive you in your |
| down. Thank goodness. I don't know what he'd do | | | | business and in your life. If you honestly explore |
| without her."That was during the summer of | | | | these questions, you may discover that it's time |
| 1973, a scene permanently etched in my mind. I | | | | to change directions in your business and in other |
| also remember the vow I made, "I'll never let | | | | areas of your life.1. Are you running your business |
| business get the best of me that way. I'll quit | | | | or is your business running you?2. When was the |
| first." Yet, years later at the helm of my own | | | | last time you took at least a 1-week vacation? |
| enterprise, there were days where I was the one | | | | While on the vacation, did you find yourself |
| gripping the side of the counter, fighting for | | | | spending a significant amount of time worrying |
| control, caught up by a frenetic pace, much like a | | | | about your work?3. What directs your business: |
| hamster in a wheel, running as fast as I could, | | | | your values or your lifestyle?4. Do any of your |
| going who knows where.Burnout is one of the | | | | family members regularly ask for more of your |
| most common and serious threats to any | | | | time and attention?5. Is your time at work |
| entrepreneur and it takes many different forms | | | | satisfying and fulfilling, or do you often feel |
| and has many different side effects. So it makes | | | | harried, or bored?6. Are you satisfied with the |
| sense to pause and ponder where you are going | | | | number of hours you work or do you wish you |
| and what you are building. Perhaps even more | | | | could cut back?7. When was the last time you sat |
| important, why are you building it?There's a | | | | down with your family and examined the direction |
| growing movement underfoot in America which | | | | of your life? When was the last time you |
| addresses these questions. Some call it | | | | examined the direction of your business with your |
| downsizing, right sizing, or simplifying your lifestyle. | | | | employees?If these questions reveal that you are |
| I like the term, DOMOS, which according to the | | | | not completely satisfied with the direction of your |
| book, Trash Cash, Fizzbos and Flatliners: A | | | | business and the motivation which is driving it, it's |
| Dictionary of Today's Words, are "downwardly | | | | probably past time to alter your course.Dr. Brad |
| mobile professionals, who abandon a successful or | | | | Swift founded Life On Purpose Institute in 1996 |
| promising career to concentrate on more | | | | with the vision of creating a World On Purpose by |
| meaningful or spiritual activities." Now, I'm not | | | | assisting people like yourself to clarify their life |
| suggesting everyone reading this should abandon | | | | purpose & live true to it. Determine how on or |
| their successful and promising careers, and go | | | | off purpose your life is with the fun & insightful |
| meditate on top of some mountain, although if | | | | Self Test at: |
| you do decide to go that route, give me a call. I | | | | |
| can suggest ways to make it a smooth | | | | Inspire yourself with a fr. |
| transition.Rather I'm saying it's time for Americans | | | | |