In today’s Growth HotSeat session, we explored the confronting reality that achieving massive financial milestones does not automatically resolve our challenges. One Member shared his experience of recently selling his business to a venture capitalist firm. Instead of enjoying the freedom of the sale, he found himself working up to seventeen-hour days managing a complex merger. He described a struggling new division as a train running off its tracks, feeling the need to manually force it back into alignment.
We discussed how trying to change external behaviors to soothe our own discomfort is ineffective. The profound shift occurred when he recognized that he might actually be the runaway train, projecting his own need for perfection onto the team. Our outside world is simply a reflection of our inside world.
Conversely, another Member navigating a difficult personal separation shared how stepping away from his business yielded surprisingly positive results. By leaning into short daily meditations to regulate his central nervous system, he created necessary space for himself during a turbulent time. During his three-month absence, his general manager stepped up beautifully, allowing the firm to thrive and become much more independent without his constant involvement.
As another Member noted using a micro-cement pool analogy, stepping back to view things from a different perspective can often reveal a completely different picture. Looking at the pool from above, it was a beautiful blue, but from the other side, it looked white. It is all a matter of perspective.
The session reminded us that we really only ever have one choice; how we are experiencing the present moment, choosing between frustration and appreciation. By enforcing strict boundaries around our time in our businesses, stepping back, and choosing to appreciate the present moment, we stop creating unnecessary chaos. Ultimately, true success is not just about financial targets, but about enjoying the journey.
“Happiness = Quality of Life minus Envy.” – Jimmy Carr
