Everyone wants success, right? We aim high and work hard, to accomplish success. For what? Why do we seek success?

Do we do it for money…for ego… for spirit? Sometimes we do it because we are passionate, or have an inner desire that pushes us. Your idea of success might be different than mine…

If your idea of success is to care for your family, raise your children with values, invest in people, then I’m willing to guess that you will look back and feel that you  have spent your time wisely. I know I never regret decisions that involve being with my family!

But… if your idea of success is following your burning passion, building amazing companies, climbing the long corporate ladder, I’m willing to guess that you MAY look back with some regrets. Why?

Today, I want to talk about the cost of success. What is that cost? Some would say the costs are the relationships that suffer, for others it may be personal care, health, or home.

My biggest cost is time. Yep, time. In order to say, “yes” to success, I have to say no to time spent on other things or with other people. In order to succeed, we have to apply ourselves daily, step by step.

“In order to say yes to success, do we have to say no to time spent on personal life, family, friends and children?” (CLICK TO TWEET)

This is why it is so important to break away from your burning passion, your obsession, your high goals,  to actually LIVE life. Because, if you knew you would die in 5 years, would you work even harder? I’m not sure I would. What would you do? hmmmm?

I know that I would still be creating because I have this innate NEED to make things… draw… create… but I also  know that I would spend more ‘quality’ time with my family. I would read my kids more books. I would write some personal letters to them, for when I’m not around. I would paint WITH them, not without them, I would take them horseback riding so they could have a taste of what I had growing up. I would enjoy their joy, that much more. I might jump out of an airplane, go do things, build memories, take pictures, and of course, EAT many:

… Because cotton candy rocks, that’s why! Haha.

The thing is, in 5 years, the ‘old’ you will be dead because you will be a NEW, 5 year older, you. Your children will be the new, 5 year older them, and our chance to live THAT moment will be 5 years too gone.

‘There will never be another day, like today, to LIVE life the way you want to live it.” (CLICK TO TWEET)

If we don’t make time to MAKE the best out of the time we have now, we will look back and wonder what we did with it. Don’t let this make you feel guilty. Don’t waste time on that. Just DO something, right now to make good use of your time!

Take a couple of moments to think of 3 things you would do this week, if you thought you would not be around to do it in the next couple of years… Write them down. Out of those 3 things, could you do one of them this week? Mine is to break away from art, and reading, and marketing, and electronics, to play pretend with the kids.

I suppose success would cost a lot less, if you are able to make good use of your time, by including your kids, family, friends… Sort of a time maximization. That way you are following your passion AND doing something on your list.

Build a happy life people, because you only have one! Our most important asset in life IS time, don’t waste it.

What did this post make you feel? Did you feel proud by the use of your time? Did some things come to surface that maybe you want to work on? Did it piss you off?  I would love to hear from you in the comments below, don’t be shy!