I had a tough realization yesterday that I’ve slipped back into my old work-a-holic ways.
Which is not easy to admit.
But it happened.
It dawned on me that while my new routine of getting up earlier, and being more productive in the morning has helped…
I’m still working from like 7 AM – 6 PM.
That’s a long day.
Of course there are breaks in there.
And times when I go to the gym.
But it’s ALL focused on work.
And when I do something that’s not work related, I feel guilty.
I feel like I SHOULD be working.
And that I’m gonna fall behind if I’m not working.
Which is a common feeling for me.
I’ve always battled this.
But I’m trying to be more aware of WHY I’m doing this.
I know for me work is one of the ways I medicate.
If I’m feeling down…
Or angry…
Or lonely…
I bury myself in work.
It’s a way for me to not have to feel anything.
Back when I used to drink a lot, I used alcohol in the same way.
But now it’s work.
So I’m trying to dig a little deeper into why I feel this way.
For me a lot of the “work-a-holic” stuff stems from a money/worth issue.
And even though I already make good money, a common thought I have is “I need to make more money”.
Which is not necessarily a bad thing…
But if that thought is being fueled by a worry like “If I don’t make more money, I’ll be nothing” then it’s an issue.
Cause that’s not a good place to be coming from.
If that’s my belief, then I’m wrapping up a lot of my self worth into how much money I make.
Which is a recipe for disaster.
I know that one firsthand.
Been there before.
Anyways…
I’m still fleshing this all out.
And processing it.
But I wanted to share it with you.
Cause I know a lot of entrepreneurs deal with this.
Working all the time is seen as a badge of honor in our world.
But when you dig into why you work so much…
There’s usually a lot of darker stuff going on that’s fueling the work-a-holism.
Things like a fear of losing it all…
Or that you won’t be enough without the money…
That’s the crap you want to discover.
Cause that’s what fuels it.
So if you struggle with working too much…
Hopefully me sharing this gave you a few nuggets that will help.
The first step is simply being aware.
And realizing that you’re working way too much.
Once you understand that…
You can start peeling back the layers and seeing what’s underneath it.
That’s what I’m doing.
It’s usually not pretty.
But it is necessary.
Keep that in mind.
That’s all I got for today.
Enjoy your Wednesday,
– Justin
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