LIFE IS A MARATHON, NOT A SPRINT

Business today is more demanding than ever. Information is king, and everybody wants quick responses. Long hours, instant responsiveness, and lots of coffee can help close more deals, but work isn’t everything. Always being well-informed and connected to the action feels exciting, but at what cost? The way I see it, business (and life) is a marathon, but more and more people are running like it’s a sprint.

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Work matters, and I love leaving my mark on the world through the real estate projects I help bring into reality. Still, the older I get, the more I’ve learned patience. It pays to work hard and be prepared, and good things also happen when I’m not trying so hard. Accomplishments are nice, but the real purpose of my labor is to give myself an opportunity enjoy the world. I’m not talking about fancy restaurants or European vacations. For me, the finer things are about time with friends and family or getting outside and enjoying a beautiful day.

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I’m established now, so I don’t need to hustle the way I used to, but that doesn’t mean younger business people can’t afford to pace themselves too. My advice is to set aside some time every week to totally disconnect. I’m not usually a bible quoting kind of guy, but it’s worth remembering the story of Genesis. On the seventh day, God rested. He didn’t check his messages. . .not even once. The people who manage to pull this off in the hectic modern world look like sages to me.

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Carving out some daily personal time is even better. I set aside at least an hour a day with no electronics — often that coincides with a workout, and it leaves me so much happier. Also, family dinner is sacrosanct. The table is a strictly phone-free zone, and getting to have real conversations with my family is a wonderful reward.

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In contrast to the joy of real-life, Facebook and other social media is digital heroin. It feels good for a while, but can spiral into a sneaky addiction that undermines everything. The more we tune in, the more we feel like we’re never doing enough. Shouldn’t I be more productive? Am I falling behind my peers? Is there something more important happening right now? Don’t other families look happier? Isn’t the whole world going to hell in a handbasket? The answer to all these questions is NO. You’re fine. The world is what is has always been. The social-media picture of other people’s lives is about 20% useful information and 80% misleading junk.

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So this is my advice to everybody who’s hustling to make it in this crazy world. Work hard, yes. And play hard when you want to. But don’t neglect your downtime. Recharge. Relax. Enjoy the fruits of your labor. A wise man once pointed out that when death approaches, nobody ever wishes they’d worked more. I doubt anybody will wish they’d spent more time on their smart phone either. So do yourself a favor — disconnect.

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Call me at 847-317-0077, email me at breinberg@alliancecgc.com, or tweet me at @benreinberg or @alliancecgc if you can submit us a property to acquire and/or would like to invest with us. For further information on investing with Alliance, please click here.

My Best,

Ben

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