Work On your Business. Not in It.

     I heard this phrase from a colleague recently, and how true it really is. If you're an owner, or soon-to-be owner, this is exactly what you should be doing. I cannot stress that enough. Here's why.
     I have seen many men and women, owners/operators mind you, that do nothing but work. Nothing but. It's insane. 65-80 hour weeks. I also realize that time have changed, and more work needs to be done by fewer people. However, there must be time for being a person. You can love your career, but if it is all you have, then you have nothing.
     Some have told me this is a bold claim. But hear me out. Passions, interests, whatever you want to call them, drive human beings. You can't deny it. Work can only satisfy these needs partially. There must be a phase,m or a piece of your life outside of the daily grind to make you whole. And there are only 24 hours in the day, don't forget. If someone tells me, "I don't have time to X" they are basically telling me that they work 24 hours a day. No sleeping. No eating. No drinking. Impossible.
     It's up to you to decide what you are doing outside of work. You must look at it like your project. You cannot be an employee when you own a business. You cannot only work. You will come to resent your career, and where there was passion and love for your job, mediocrity and malice will seep in.
     The phrase I mentioned earlier is two fold. Be something outside of your job, and see your business as something you can improve. Not just work in mindlessly until you die. Your business is only as good as the people that work on it. How will you improve your business today? What have you been putting off? Let's talk about it.