Tell me, do you sometimes find yourself deep in a vicious work cycle, where every month, you're trying to hit a financial target - and the mere thought of taking a month off to travel, rest or enjoy life kinda stresses you out because... well opportunity cost?

Actually: double that because spending money AND you're not working. Ouch.

I hear you and I feel you. This is what I call the success dilemma.

What is the ‘success dilemma’?

Recently, as I was preparing for a little business trip. As I added up the train costs, accommodation, food, entertainment and a brand photoshoot... my heart sank just a little.

Not to mention I was also planning a two week road trip AND having to prepare everything (like shipping my piano) to move back to Germany... goodbye surprise expenses jar 😢

Also, I am intentionally choosing to take on less clients so I can be more present and enjoy my time before I move back...

like... bask in the sun, meet up with friends for tapas, and go out on day trips ☀️

So... I am faced with the reality that the next few months aren't exactly going to be profitable. In fact, I've decided to close off a whole month from client work.

Is that business suicide? 

I wrestle with this notion that successful months are only when I've made an $x amount of money. And that when I take time off to enjoy the rewards of my hard work... it somehow feels like an UNsuccessful month?

Or like my business is going backwards because I'm taking time off??

Do I even WANT my definition of success to depend on how much I'm constantly DOING (ie. quantitative and driven by masculine energy)?

Or is it time I reframe my idea of what makes a successful month and embrace the feminine energy of what success could mean? (ie. slow living, introspection, self-care, quality time, and creating art simply for the joy of it)

I'm talking about the short term quantitative vs qualitative success.

Why can't success also look like taking a whole month off to enjoy summer, spend quality time with people, and let myself be re-inspired by nature and by the magic of life itself?

Isn't that the TRUE reward from months of hard work? To have the financial ability to take time off to enjoy life?

This is also what success looks like and I realise it also deserves to be honoured and valued.

It's been a constant work in progress to dispel the beliefs of what success SHOULD look like from a patriarchal society, passed down through generations.

People who appear to have quantitative success (material success), might completely be lacking in qualitative success (internal non-material success).

But I feel such relief and feeling of freedom to have broken away from that material definition of success - and to finally acknowledge the joys from my internal non-material success.

And perhaps then, TRUE success is in acknowledging our OWN balance of quantitative and qualitative success.

Just like how nature has its seasons for blooming and resting, so too must we honour the seasons of our success.

Sometimes it's actively hitting those financial and material goals, and sometimes it's hibernating in inspiration, enjoying your summer harvest.

Thanks for tuning in on this personal conversation this week! As you can tell, I love going deep and touching on the mindset side of business. Probably my favourite thing to talk about! So if there's a topic you'd like me to share more of, let me know at @arohavisuals

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