Gary Vaynerchuk is a successful businessman. And he has over a million Twitter followers to prove it. When Gary gives advice, people listen.
I am not a successful businessman. That is, not in terms of how most Americans define business success. I have something like 2,000 Twitter followers, so my advice is sketchy at best.
But I’m going to share it anyway.
We’re small. We live on a rock orbiting a star flying through the infinite universe at a million miles an hour. We exist for a millisecond and then *poof* we’re gone. But oh, what a millisecond it is.
My Twitter bio includes the line, “raised by wolves.” I included it because I’ve always identified with Mowgli from the Jungle Book. Especially the part where Mowgli befriends a bear (even though I never understood the whole ‘bear in India’ thing). And especially the part where the bear tells him to slow down and take it easy in life.
So just try and relax, yeah cool it
Fall apart in my backyard
‘Cause let me tell you something, little britches
If you act like that bee acts
You’re working too hard.
And don’t spend your time lookin’ around
For something you want, that can’t be found.
When you find out you can live without it
And go along not thinking about it.
I’ll tell you something true
The bear necessities of life will come to you.
Sure, Mowgli eventually goes on to join the humans at the end, but I like to think that the simple lessons of Baloo the bear stayed with him–and he lived happily ever after.
I’m 50. I set goals and bust my ass to achieve them. And yet, I live for the weekends and vacations when I can let go of the “real world” to focus on enjoying my millisecond.
But you probably shouldn’t take my advice. I am inspired by a cartoon bear from the 1960s, after all.
No, I’m not a successful businessman. But boy, it sure feels like I have a successful life.
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Nichole
Mar 1, 2015
Variety is the spice of life. I don’t know who coined that phrase, but I agree with it. There is the GaryV brand of success that’s has the appearance of being tied to external, impersonal validation. And there is the Mitchem brand of success that is closely connected to intimate, interpersonal validation. At some point, all people aspire to have the Mitchem brand. Even the GaryVs.
Addie K Martin
Mar 6, 2015
What Gary V. fails to take into account is that everyone isn’t like him. It takes all kinds of people to run this big, wonderful world we live in. Hell, I work living my own person dream, but I still look forward to weekends and vacations because even though I love my work, I need a damn break every once in a while. 😉
Jim Mitchem
Mar 6, 2015
Yes, but the fact that so many follow this “prescription” is what concerns me. Where are our priorities? Yes, live life to the fullest, including passion in business, but moderation is important too.