I’ve got a great ambition to die of exhaustion rather than boredom. ––Thomas Carlyle.
“There is no such thing as work-life balance,” said Alain De Botton. “Everything worth fighting for unbalances your life.”
Why do we honor the athlete, the medical student, or the exhausted mother of three who lives an unbalanced life? And then we vilify the full commitment that comes with an ambition for wealth?
I’ve always had an ambition for wealth that I never defended to anyone except my family. Behind closed doors, however, my wife and kids were told that I wanted wealth to provide and protect them.
I explained my financial fears, my future challenges, and my desire to pay for their college tuitions. I hoped they’d be the first generation in our family tree to graduate from college without debt.
Wealth was a practical way to provide this blessing for them. I was willing to sacrifice for them. I was willing to work in my free time.
“If your energy is as boundless as your ambition,” said Dr. Joyce Brothers, “total commitment may be a way of life you should seriously consider.” Everything worth fighting for unbalances your life.
My children graduated college without debt, and their tuition was paid for by my free hours. It’s the blessing of an unbalanced life.
We pay the price of an extraordinary life, or we pay the regrets of an average life. An extraordinary life requires a sacrifice of our leisure hours, but an ordinary life requires a sacrifice of our cherished dreams.
Thank you John,
For your inspiration and reminders of how to live an extraordinary life! It is so easy to forget this or to not even look at it as we are so busy with our day to day lives.
I appreciate the time, effort and consistency of your messages.
Jacob
The other side of the issue is the value of a balanced life in parallel with being a balanced person. What we pursue does unbalance us, as you note, and so we may distort our “true selves” with it. Surely, we should handle what we see as necessary, as you did with your children’s education (and I have done with my marriage), but there is a case for being multi-dimensional rather than uni-dimensional, unless one is a virtuoso with a talent that must not be wasted.
Can’t argue. We each must choose. And sacrifice something.