Hey,
I’m emailing you from Oakland, Cali.
After a much needed week in Cancun with my wife, within 24 hours of returning to New York, I was back on a plane to leave NY again. My voice held up and my speaking engagements at University of Washington, Western Washington, and University of Michigan went great. I was able to touch hundreds of lives in person in 3 days. Play hard and then work hard, right?
Honestly, I was torn. I love what I do for a living, but I hate having to leave my wife to do it. Vacation brought us closer together and I didn’t want to lose that. That’s the thing with vacations—they are temporary stress relief…an escape. They don’t change the way of life I was trying to escape and live with most of the time.
Before marrying my wife, I didn’t go on vacations because I didn’t believe in them. After last week, I definitely think that vacation is better than no vacation. Workaholics need a break or else we’ll burn out. But I’m seeking to redesign my life and the way I work in such a way where I don’t need to “withdraw” to a foreign country to control my impulse to work, work, work.
When I was working a “full-time job” and was part of The 40-40 Club (= working 40 hours a week for 40 years), I used to wonder who the heck and how the heck people were jogging through Central Park in the middle of the day. I thought to myself, they must have inherited lots of money or won a law suit or the lotto. But I knew that wasn’t true. They were working to live rather than living to work.
As I wrestle with workaholism, this week offered me 2 real life examples that there are alternative ways to work beyond the 9-to-5 or even 40 hour work week and still earn more than enough.
1. A guy who only works 20 hours per week by choice
In Seattle, I had lunch with a new friend and colleague, Terry. It was my first time eating beef pho. Terry owns a college success book publishing company. We met at a conference in San Diego a few months ago and we are exploring a potential partnership.
But Terry’s life inspires me beyond just our shared passion.
1. He is a stay-at-home dad and he has designed his life and business in such a way that he only works from 11am-2pm and then he drives up to 84 miles in the evening dropping off and picking up his older kids from school and sports. And once they are asleep, he puts in a few more hours before he calls it a day.
2. Publishing is not his only business. He also owns a trailer park. Who would have thought. He has 16 properties near where he grew up. I’ve always believed that one source of income was dangerous even if you’re an entrepreneur. My wife and I own an income property as well and it has freed us up to do what we love for work given that housing is oftentimes people’s biggest monthly expense.
3. On top of that, he lost 70 pounds through juicing since I last saw him.
I forgot to mention that Terry also has his MBA. He did software sales after business school while working on the publishing business on the side. Now he is doing his own thing and can be the present partner and parent he wants to be.
I love it.
2. Another guy who only works 3 days a week…virtually…800 miles from his team…by choice
After that, I flew down from Seattle to visit my mom and dad for a couple of days and get some of my godmother’s famous BBQ from her restaurant in Hayward, CA. I haven’t found good BBQ in New York yet.
On my flight, I met a guy who runs a Washington-based $20 million dollar affordable housing portfolio from his home in Oakland, California.
He has a team of 7 and he only works Tuesday through Thursday. He flies up to Washington quarterly to meet with them in person. On his 4-day weekends, he spends time at the theater, reading, and meditating.
He said that in his 30s and 40s, he was on flights all of the time for work, but then he asked himself, “How can I earn equal or more money without having to leave my home?” That question changed the way he thought about his value and time and has led him to the lifestyle he has today at a healthy 62.
He doesn’t have an MBA. He has a BA in Theater.
And he is happy and healthy and said “I have no plans to retire.”
Seek and you shall find.
As I ask the right questions and genuinely seek to redesign my life, models and examples are coming to me through your emails, friends, and random strangers.
Let me know if you know other examples of people who are creating alternatives to the 40-40 Club or just share adjustments that you’ve made to customize your work week.
Sincerely,
Jullien
