Freedom To Fail is Freedom To Succeed

Freedom means different things to different people. Sometimes it means making more money. Sometimes it means having more time. It could also mean helping someone who really needs your help.

For me, freedom in business means having the freedom to fail. If you have the freedom to fail, you also have the freedom to succeed, in whatever manner you choose and to whatever end you would deem a “success.”

Without the freedom to fail, there is no freedom to succeed.

Freedom also means being able to pursue the things you love, regardless of how you make a living. If you love mountain biking, freedom in business would allow you to make a living while also making a life – a life that includes mountain biking and whatever other activities give you the greatest satisfaction.

If you love writing, you would have the freedom to write as often as you want and on whatever topics you choose.

Yesterday I answered this question: If I Could be Anyone, Who Would I Be? I also wrote about what I would do if I could do anything. Freedom lets you answer both questions.

My short answer, in the present tense, was: “I write, produce videos and teach others to do the same.”

Getting up every day to write, produce videos and teach others to do the same would not only fulfill my vision for business, it would demonstrate what “freedom in business” means to me.

Just to be clear, “freedom” does not mean having the ability to slack off. It means having the opportunity to work your butt off and reap the rewards for your effort.

Adventure in Life

For most of my life I have heard people talk about balancing the areas of your life and leaving your work at work so you can be home when you are home. I tend to think merging the “work” with the “non-work” could be a much more satisfying approach.

If you truly enjoy what you do, why lock it up in an office at night? Why not allow your “work” into your personal life?

“Adventure” can be almost any activity, depending on your interests. It could be sky diving, fishing, yogurt shop hopping, or anything you make it. That means you can also enjoy adventures at work, whether you work in an office or in your own home.

And if you enjoy the adventures in your business life, why not share them with your personal life and realize your business life and your personal life boil down to one thing: life.

Some would call this “blurring the lines,” but I would call it “expanding the borders.” Surely there will be things you don’t want to mix between business and personal activities, but it will take a whole lot more energy to “turn off” your work every time you walk in your door at home.

Conclusion

One way to have freedom in business and adventure in life, Natalie Sisson’s words to live by, is to allow your business activities – especially the ones you truly enjoy – into your personal life, and vice versa.

My brother loves mountain biking, running and other physically demanding sports. He happens to work for a company that also values those things. As a result, he can take time off in the middle of the day to ride his bike, go for a run, and enjoy the company of one or more co-workers who will want to go with him.

To me, my brother is enjoying one form of freedom in business. He is also enjoying adventure in life as he explores new bike trails, running routes, races and other activities that energize him. The best part is that he is doing them at the same time. They are not mutually exclusive.

Finding personal fulfillment in some activity that is integrated into your worklife and can be shared with your personal life seems like a great model. While this may be more likely to happen for those working in their own business, it is not impossible for those who have a job.

That said, my writing, video production and training business will not be confined to an office. My freedom and adventure will be on the road, both locally and around the world, allowing me to make new friends, scale new mountains and help more people. That’s true freedom in business and adventure in life.