Welcome to One Thing Better. Each week, the editor in chief of Entrepreneur magazine (that’s me) shares one way to achieve a breakthrough at work — and build a career or company you love.
Today’s edition is sponsored by Salesforce, the best solution to help small businesses scale. Learn more below.
My friend has been working like a dog for decades. He’s made some money. He’s had some success.
But lately, he told me, he’s been asking himself a big question: What am I actually working for?
The obvious answers are there: He’s working because he’s ambitious. He’s growing his company. He’s making more money. But again, to all of that — what for?
The question nags at him. Because he’s not sure what the answer is.
When he told me this, I recognized the question immediately. After a career in which I have pushed myself relentlessly, working constantly and often thinking about nothing but work, I’ve been asking myself that question too.
Then I told him something that I’d never thought before.
I said: “Whatever I’m working for, I think it’s time to start enjoying that.”
That made us both stop. Today, I want to help you contemplate that statement for yourself. It might just be the biggest question of our lives.
The neighbor on the bike
Let’s back up. I want to share the first time I’d really started thinking like this.
About five summers ago, my family and I were visiting my parents in Colorado. I set myself up outside on a chair in front of the house, anchored to my computer as usual, working all day every day.
One afternoon, a neighbor came by on a bicycle and asked if I wanted to join him for a ride.
I said no thanks, I’m working. He took off.
The next day, the same thing happened. So I asked him: How does he have time for a bike ride in the middle of the day?
He said he just makes the time. He works hard, he’s got some free time, and so he uses it like this. Then he took off again.
On the third day, he invited me again. And I realized something:
For years, when people (including my wife) would ask me what I want from work, I’d tell them, “I want full autonomy of my time.” I want to spend my time however I see fit, free from anyone else’s control.
And yet there I was, sitting in that chair, not actually doing anything meaningfully new with my time. What was the point of having full autonomy, if I did nothing autonomous?
So I went on the bike ride. And then more bike rides. And I started to slowly build a little extra flexibility into my days.
The question worth asking
If you haven’t asked yourself some version of this question, I really encourage you to. So I’ll write it again:
What am I doing all this work for? And is it time to start enjoying whatever that is?
I ask you:
- Are you working for money? Great. How are you spending that money?
- Are you working for flexibility and time? Great. How are you spending that time?
- Are you working for personal satisfaction? Great. Are you doing the things that actually satisfy you?
So often, I think, we put off the purpose of something until later. We think of now as “grind time,” as if it’s all for the benefit of some future version of ourselves. But if we never stop to actually appreciate it — to take advantage of it — then we just keep working towards an unknown future.
And then, truly, what was the point?
I have met people at the tail end of their careers who have worked tremendously hard and never stopped. I have met billionaires in their 90s who are still grinding. And I suppose they got many things along the way — a lot of money, a lot of status.
But did they ever stop to ask if that was what they actually wanted? Was there something else along the way? Something they could have paused to enjoy more? Something that had a little more purpose to it, even if it required a little less work?
I always wonder: Did they ever even ask the question?
What I’m actually doing this summer
This summer, I want to continue answering my own question.
It’s time to use the time that I’ve worked so hard to reclaim. So here’s the kind of thing I’m now doing during work hours…
I’ve gone out on many lunches with friends. Last week, I spent a few hours looking at ancient civilization objects at Sotheby’s, because I am obsessed with that stuff. This week, I’m hiking in Colorado. I took this photo from a hike yesterday:
I know I’m lucky. I have a unique kind of flexibility. But everyone has their own version of this — it’s the thing you’re working for, and the thing you should stop and enjoy, because if you don’t do it intentionally, then it’s just never going to happen.
Your turn
So here’s what I want to leave you with, as we move through this summer:
Ask yourself what you’re actually working for.
Not what you’re doing. Not what your goals are. But what is the underlying thing — the real thing — that all of this effort is supposed to deliver?
Then go take advantage of it. Because the work will always be there. The summer won’t.
That’s how to do one thing better.
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