Quote:
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"I never knew anyone while on their death bed said they wished they had spent more time in the office."
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The first time I heard this, Warren Miller was telling a story about an 80 year old women he talked with on a chair lift. Warren asked the women why, at age 80, she was skiing. Her comment, almost the same as above, actually changed my life.
The desire to succeed has a lot to do with being a workaholic, so does the need to be appreciated, the desire to compete, to feel useful, and even a bit of a feeling of inferiority along with a touch of OCD, and in general the need to be active. Plus there is being driven by those with whom you work.
In the past I’ve routinely worked several months at a span without so much as a day off. I never felt any loss for this. In those days a fun day away from work was taking the time to read a tech manual, novel, or bit of history. I have loved the work I do for a long time, and still do. It was about 12 years or so ago that I took my first real vacation (lasting a whole week) since I was a teen ager. It was at that time when I heard the quote above. Since that fateful first vacation I’ve made a point to regularly take time off with increasing frequency. But the only thing that’s changed is where I work. Now I'll spend whole days hiking, bike riding, playing in the snow, working around the yard, practicing the flute. Shoot, I’ve even spent several half-a-day sessions splitting and stacking wood for fun & exercise. I’ve spent several days digging up rocks. And all while wearing a heart-rate monitor. I can’t help being motivated and focusing my energy towards goals. Just as I can’t help pushing a little more to tackle the next challenge.
The irony is that I still never take long vacations, but make a point of getting away at least a couple of days a week to do the other stuff mentioned above. Since crossing the 40 year old barrier, I find I have less energy overall, but my devotion to work remains. What is a life, after all, but the tale of what you do, and don’t do....