Mid Life Workaholics

“Workaholics commit slow suicide by refusing to allow the child inside them to play”. Dr. Lawrence Susser

Recognizing the intense desire to do a good job, many people still have a challenging time overcoming mid life work addiction.

My Grandfather worked full-time, plus he ran a TV repair business out of his basement.  This was back in the day when Televisions were heavy and huge.  He had to travel to people’s homes.  This traveling and the work required to repair TV’s in the basement, plus the travel to return the TV, must have made his work commitment enormous.

My Dad worked 5 1/2 days every single week at the Paper Mill.  On Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays, he taught 30-minute drum lessons in our living room – from 4pm until 8pm.  On Friday and Saturday nights, he played drums in a band – weddings, anniversaries, clubs, etc.

Now it’s my turn. Working at a Fortune 100 Company, there is no shortage of work to be done. And I’ve done it willingly for several decades.  Now, I’m also working on my retirement business – to help raise enough money to find a cure for our son’s Crohn’s disease.

The difference, I perceive, is that I have found creative ways to be part of our son’s life.  But only after I squandered the first four decades of my life.

More Goodness?

More?  Goodness?  More Goodness?

Mid Life Goodness?  Indeed.

At mid-life, shouldn’t we be on our way to making the world a better place?

Look, I’m an optimist.   That doesn’t make me a bad person, anymore than someone who’s not an optimist. Different strokes for different folks.  Fair enough?

How does one acquire mid-life wisdom in order to want to think about mid-life goodness all the time?

I don’t know exactly.   We might at least agree that we will all do this, or not do this, in our own unique way, on our own time schedules.

Here’s a tactic I use to practice courage.  And, I believe courage is a critical success factor.

He who asks a question is a fool for five minutes;  he who does not ask the question remains a fool forever“.   — Chinese Proverb

I love how quotes like this make me think at a different, and perhaps obvious, level.  Hope your day is filled with courage and great thinking.  Carpe diem, jeff 🙂