I was having dinner with a close friend recently, and confiding how down and unfulfilled I felt at times. It seems that this year has been a grind.
He helped me take a step back and review what has changed in my daily routine that could be a contributor.
After some probing an insight revealed itself: the move from working in the business, to working on the business, has unintended consequences on flow.
When you’re technical, and working in the business, you can get lost in the wonderful flow of solving problems. Hours can go by as you work on a solution for a client. It’s deeply satisfying.
As you switch to working on the business, you can get mired in the slog of financials and hiring and vision… all the things business books (example) say are high value and to be favoured.
They’re important for sure, but let’s not mistake high value business wise for highly rewarding personally.
What’s that gaping chasm in my life? Perhaps it’s the absence of flow.
