“True happiness is… to enjoy the present, without anxious dependence upon the future.” – Lucius Annaeus Seneca
Millennials are more driven now than any other generation to date. With the resources of technology, networking, and sheer opportunity, millennials have the capability to do and accomplish nearly anything they put their mind to.
With all of this opportunity and capability, we millennials have created what Canadian athletic apparel retailer, lululemon calls BHAG (Big Hairy Audacious Goals). When we have these great goals, sometimes we overwhelm ourselves and we don’t enjoy the here and now. I, personally can get so caught up in working my 5-year, 10-year, and 20-year goals that I miss out or purposely neglect what is happening around me in order to have a tunnel vision on my goals.
I have been working hard in my own life to have a balance of work and play. Here are a few ways that those of you who are ambitious in your own likes (like myself) can enjoy life and the process towards greatness.
Remember that you are not your job
According to CNN, Millennials will change jobs four times within the first decade of them out of university. I have nearly completed
my undergrad at university and I have already changed jobs five times within the four years of university (talk about not being able to work for anyone). What does this mean? You are not your job. If you were to lose your job. Would your heart stop beating? Would your limbs stop working? Probably not. Therefore, do not attach yourself to your job, regardless if it pays you $12 an hour or $100,000 a year.
Understand that you are who you want to be, not what job you are attached to. Many of us have been trained to believe that there is prestige to a job. Granted there are perks to businesses and other careers, you should still understand that when you look in the mirror, the only thing you are looking at is yourself. Not your bank account, not the car you have outside, not the private parties you are invited to for business, none of that. Get in tune with your, self.
Take time to do nothing
Us millennials sleep less than those younger than us and those older than us. We run on a self-caffeinated high that is filled with Instagram likes, memes, LinkedIn endorsements, and YouTube videos. Add to that work, school, relationships, and family and what you have is a cocktail for disaster.
When you are driven, you will work non-stop to achieve whatever you so choose. Sometimes you have to purposefully say “BREAK TIME” and do nothing. Do not read a book, do not look over your investment portfolios, do not talk to anyone, and most definitely do not use your phone!
Take a mini-vacation and go MIA. Stop any connection you have with the outer world and take a breather. This is a perfect time to peacefully sleep. When we were younger, we hated the idea of sleeping. As we get older, we long for sleep. The only difference for entrepreneurial millennials is that WE DO NOT DESIRE SLEEP. What do we desire? RESULTS.
Regardless, find the time to just sleep. Sitting and thinking should not be done during your break time. You need complete nothingness.
Go to a concert (or two)
I have got to tell you, I only started to understand this last year. Prior to then, I believed that concerts were a waste of money. I have since recanted that belief. The first legitimate concert I went to changed my life (as millennial-esque as that sounds). I went with a group of friends and I felt completely free. No thoughts of work the next day or any responsibilities. All that was on my mind was soaking up as much of the moment as possible.
Moments like these allow you to simply be. You cannot be at complete peace of mind knowing you have numerous tasking responsibilities. The biggest responsibility that you have is trying not to sing your lungs out. Go to as many concerts as you can. Memories are more important than monetary figures. When you die, those around you will not remember you for your net worth, they will remember you for the moments you had together. Make it a grand anecdote.
Travel somewhere new
I was one once one of the guys who would work at a job then work at home on my own tasks all night. I would be lucky if I had four hours of sleep a night. I did not care to travel the world because I knew I would do all of that in the near future. Granted, I was fortunate enough to travel the world from 6-months old so maybe that may have brought about my indifference to traveling now. Thankfully, my current girlfriend snapped me out of that facade.
The truth of the matter is that travel is needed to better not only yourself but the world. Traveling allows you to get outside of your sculptured box called your native home and see the opportunities that lie outside of where you were born. This may bring you to humanitarian desires or business possibilities that you did not see back home. Aside from that, travel allows you to expand your mind in ways a structured education could not. Take advantage of your young age and travel while you can still get inspired. If your career goals and entrepreneurial pursuits are that great, traveling before or during your work should not affect these things negatively.
Lastly…
Be less judgemental, be more embracing
In our day and age, especially with the internet, anybody and everybody has the opportunity to speak their mind. This is great in essence but it can be abused. In Canada, where I live, there are so many ethnicities, religions, sexualities, and political preferences, people can be rubbed the wrong way at any moment.
Your job is to be less willing to judge others and more willing to embrace and learn about others and the way they live their lives. This goes back to traveling. Sometimes you do not need to travel outside of your country to embrace the world. You could meet someone from India at work, another from Spain at school – everywhere you go provides the opportunity to learn something new. Being so caught up in our own worlds will leave us alone and lost in the end. Meet new people from different walks of life, try new foods, experiences, sports, everything.
Do what scares you. This will show you how limitless you are. You do not need some pill to maximize your capabilities on this earth. You just need to allow yourself to be willing to test yourself. Enjoy the rest of 2017 and let it be the best year you have had so far. Keep up the entrepreneurial spirit and enjoy life. Let hard work be synonymous with happiness.
Until next time,
Live Long and Prosperous.
J.M.
Wealthy Fools 