Crossroads - At the Intersection of Making Money or Making a Life (Part Deux)

Crossroads - At the Intersection of Making Money or Making a Life (Part Deux)

I’ve learned that making a “living” is not the same as making a “life.” —Maya Angelou

ONCE THEY’D EXHAUSTED their conversation, Mark and Paula continued to sit on the back deck watching the ducks swim on the pond as the sun sank behind the trees. When they finally made their way into the house, Paula wasn’t sure which way things would go.

But within twenty-four hours, Paula made the decision to put her professional calling on hold. Then she began building their life with the same gusto she had invested in building a successful career. Paula shifted her focus to the nuances of creating a nurturing, fun home life; she learned to cook and entertain. In addition, she focused her attention on learning how to be more emotionally supportive to her husband as he built his career. And success—in her husband’s work life and in their marriage—quickly followed. Mark returned the favor several years later, taking early retirement while Paula went about building a new, rewarding professional life, one where her talents and gifts benefit the team she manages—for me. Paula runs my marketing agency.

Paula told me, “Looking back, I can see that we only knew how to make money; we had absolutely no concept of what it took to build a life or to connect in a meaningful way with our family. But because we chose life, I became a more balanced person, richly blessed by these ‘prizes’—husband, family, and friends.”

If making money is contributing to the diminishing return on the quality of your life, maybe it’s time to consider the road less taken. Choosing the greater mission—to make a life—takes sacrifice, conviction, and commitment. As Paula and her husband approach their silver anniversary this fall, they know they chose the right road for them.

Light is sweet; how pleasant to see a new day dawning. (Ecclesiastes 11:7)

Another note: Paula is my closest friend, and you can bet that I count her among my prizes.