You won’t forgive yourself. Image by wirestock on Freepik
I’ve never enjoyed working for a boss. Constantly building someone else’s dream, on someone else’s terms, for a salary that never seems to be enough.
That’s why I’ve often thought about entrepreneurship. It runs in my family, too. Some of my relatives work for themselves or own a business because they simply struggle with the same thing as I do.
We prefer to be our own boss.
However, I’m still employed, and no matter how much I complain or have complained, I’m also somewhat happy about it. There’s something I’ve noticed among the entrepreneurs I personally know, and many that I see online:
The long hours they work.
When you want to advance in your career or are working on your business, there are never enough hours in a day. There’s always something to do. Social media encourages this even more. “Work hard! Be obsessive. Do it now!” These are not just sentences I’ve often seen, but also shouted myself.
There’s just a dark side to it when you have a family…
Don’t get me wrong, I don’t think it’s wrong to show your children that if you want to achieve something, you must work for it. Of course, nothing comes for free, and we don’t get anything without effort. But the time you spend on that while you could be doing something with your family is time you’ll never get back.
Try to do stuff like that when they’re asleep or something…
I often work from home, and it always hurts when my children want my attention, and I can’t give it to them because I have to work. Of course, I can’t completely avoid this, because it’s a fact that I have to work. And sure, sometimes I really do make some time for them. We can’t always be “on” or at work. Then, I gladly spend my short break with my kids. Whether I can truly rest is another story, but they are more important.
Now, I don’t want to convey that you can’t achieve anything if you have a family. There’s nothing wrong with setting aside time to work on making your own dreams come true. But you don’t want to be that parent whose child says they never have time for them, do you?
“Daddy is always at his computer. Daddy is never home. Daddy doesn’t want to play with me.”
These are very sad cries, but unfortunately, they are all too common. This obviously also applies to moms who want to start something or pursue a career.
You know what? When they’re a bit older, I think they can handle it better. Then, they often do their own thing. Maybe they don’t even want to spend time with you then.
But we can all agree that those early years are so incredibly important, right?
I admit that I don’t always have the right balance. But I also admit that I’m working on it. I want to be remembered as a father who took time for them. To be remembered as a father who did things with them. Who went out with them and played with them.
As a father myself, I want to speak to all fathers out there:
Don’t be that dad who always sits on the bench at the playground.
Don’t be that dad who’s always on his phone.
Don’t be that dad who’s always working.
Be a real father.
You don’t know how life will turn out. Life is very unpredictable. Unfortunately, I know examples from personal circles of little ones who were lovingly put to bed at night and found lifeless in the morning. And what about simple accidents that can have deadly consequences?
Cherish every moment with those little ones.
Don’t be fooled by the hustle culture or what people tell you. This is your life with your children.
Make every moment count.
And hey, don’t forget about your partner either. They are our rock, and they deserve our love and attention as well. Just try to pay attention that you’re not neglecting your loved ones just because you wanna hustle.