“Envy is the ulcer of the soul.” Socrates
No matter the stage of your business, there will always be someone out-earning you. Maybe even making it look so seductively easy that you—consciously or not—start feeling that green twinge of envy.
There is a way to (mostly) avoid envy. And no, it isn’t about dialing yourself down and living a smaller life than the one you crave.
It’s about designing the life YOU want, right down to what I like to call your “enough” goal for your business.
And “enough” doesn’t mean just barely getting by. This isn’t about suffering.
It’s about getting exquisitely clear on your personal best mix of revenue (money), free time and flexibility for this stage of your life.
If you haven’t already decided on your “enough”, start thinking about it now, while the year is still young. You’ll capture a few advantages from the exercise:
It sets boundaries around what you’re willing to do to chase revenue. You might say no to certain kinds of travel, clients or service lines—or at least give those opportunities some serious thought before saying yes.
It forces you to consider how you want to spend or invest your profits well in advance. Maybe you’ll figure out how to earn more if it means you can fund the causes you care about.
It begs the question: what do you value most in your life now and for your future self? Maybe you’re in a season where your work feels so incredible that you dedicate an outsized chunk of your time to it.
Of course, your “enough” number may shift as your life changes, but it’s the experience that is valuable and worth revisiting periodically.
Having an “enough” button is what keeps us from chasing someone else’s dream and focusing on our own.
Related: Now Is an Excellent Time To Decide Which Clients Are Your Most Profitable