Knowing your work rhythm is a key to success. Are you the kind of person who likes something steady or predictable? Or do prefer seasonal work, where you’re very busy for a while and then have lots of holiday time following? Knowing this and staying true to it goes a long way to creating an experience that is both satisfying and sustainable over time.
One reason I began my business was my awareness that I love project-based work. I find it thrilling to have a goal and take the steps to achieve it. Once done, I usually lose interest. I left jobs where I was required to do the same thing day in day out with little variation once I had mastered them. What did work for me in those jobs was the opportunity to create and implement my ideas and projects. Fortunately, I had a couple of great bosses. Initiating and implementing was (and is) one of of my favourite adventures. My employers got a lot out of my creativity and passion, but they weren’t able to keep me since they only needed that ability once in a while and I would feel under-stimulated after some time. So I would move on. This happened a couple of times before I realized that starting my own business would be one way to meet my needs.
Knowing how to bring people together to create positive, unifying and empowering experiences is my thing. Intensity in projects feels exciting and energizing. Once the project is done, I need and like the downtime (there’s often a little sadness though at the end of a project). This works. Anytime I’ve fought it with something more stable and ongoing, I’ve suffered. Meanwhile, I’ve been in business more than ten years. It’s not only allowed me to grow, it’s pushed me to do so.
Think about it. Are you working in your preferred rhythm? Or is there something you can change in order to do so? There’s nothing like following your own natural timing. Success, then, also arrives naturally.
