Bobbleheads and Small Business Seriousness

I’ve had a particularly successful week on a number of fronts. Every day had a triumph, some large, some small. That’s a week well worked.

I was out celebrating with my friend Anne last night, and she gave me a gift in honor of my week: a Guy Noir, Private Eye bobblehead.

[caption id="attachment_90" align="aligncenter" width="162" caption=""A dark night in a city that knows how to keep its secrets. But high above the empty streets, on the 12th Floor of the ACME Building, one man is still trying to find the answers to life's persistent questions...Guy Noir, Private Eye.""][/caption]

I love Prairie Home Companion, but that wasn’t the purpose of the gift. The purpose was to remind me to not take myself too seriously, to not dive into workaholism just because I’ve got all these fun new projects and clients that are going to need my focus in the next couple of months. She said every time I see the head bobble, I’m supposed to ask myself, “have I done anything fun today?”

It’s the myth of business ownership. We get in to it thinking “oooh, flexibility!” My daughter Dakota was 4 when I started my business; it was a great idea. But after a couple of years I realized I was consumed. Dakota had less of me, not more. I’m very grateful I had that realization, and then did something about it.

I rarely work on the weekends anymore. But, this weekend, I have some special stuff to accomplish. One woman trying to find the answers to life’s persistent questions. And Guy is sitting here bobbing his head, reminding me that if I work smarter, I get to go have some fun tonight. And that makes me a better, and more successful, business owner.

Have you done anything fun today?