Many of us make this mistake….So determined on a goal you work so hard, become so consumed on achieving it as fast as possible that you put your head down and just barrel through like a bull. Sometimes your head may be down for a few weeks, months, or sometime years before you ever lift it up.

While it is good to be focused and determined to make your life and your loved ones lives better – life is passing you by.

You have to smell the roses.

An admitted work-aholic, my drive to be successful is fueled by my fear of failure. It has always been my nature that when I want something I’m not afraid to work for it. Just tell me what it takes to get it, and I’ll do it. The only problem is it is also in my nature to be impatient. I don’t just want something now; I want it yesterday – if not sooner!

It could be the only child syndrome, or the fact that I was kind of spoiled growing up. Raised by a single mom who worked 2 jobs, 7 days/week – we didn’t have a lot, but she made sure I didn’t want for anything and provided me with an example of a great work ethic.

I admit I forget about the roses. My hunger to grow the business combined with my fear of the business failing can cause a slight obsession and a tendency to ignore the more important things in life because my mind is constantly racing about things I could be doing to make the business better.

I tend to rationalize that my obsession is just, because it is for my family, but the key word is family and I should try to make that the priority and find the balance.

Since we bought our new building in April and expanded – I have had to train my clients, manage my staff, train new hires, deal with contractors, banks, budgets, paint colors, studio layouts, equipment purchases, and basically become an interior designer! There just were not enough hours in the day. I’d be on my laptop on the couch til midnight almost every night after working a 12 hour day, and working weekends too.

Even when we made time to go out as a family, I would find myself not “being there” mentally and I’d be thinking about the business and what needed to get done – not smelling the roses like I should have been.

It’s not easy to remind yourself to do it. But, sometimes a moment happens that makes you realize what’s important.

One of the benefits of the move was that we are next door to my 7 year old son’s school and we can walk over and pick him up. Just last week on our way back to work, my son reaches out and holds my hand the whole way back. It wasn’t like he’s never done it before, but for some reason, that day, I really appreciated the moment. I realized how I should embrace it and how I don’t have many more years he will be willing to do that.

Then there was the time my daughter asked me to carry her on a 95 degree/ 100% humidity day in Disney World, after already walking what had to be at least 5 miles around the park! As I caught myself trying to come up with an excuse, I realized how the days of her wanting to be held by her Daddy are not infinite and how many more do I have left?

It seems like yesterday that both my kids were babies. Now, they are 7 and 5. Before my wife and I know it, they are going to be out with their friends more and more and the hugs and hand holding will become less and less.

You should want to live a long healthy life so that you could smell the roses as long as possible – wouldn’t you?

So many people, overweight or not, make decisions that are detrimental to a long and healthy life; whether it is poor eating habits or not exercising. The science is proven, yet gets ignored. Eating a proper diet in conjunction with an exercise program consisting of a minimum of 2-3 hours per week will put the odds in your favor to live a longer life than if you did not by over 70%! Not just a longer life, but a life that will consist of more energy and vitality!

The whole point of this article is to not only remind you to turn down the “noise” that life brings, but to embrace the life you have. Lift your head up from that grindstone and take a look at what you are working for and appreciate what you have while you have it, rather than what you are trying to get.

Don’t let the excuses take hold of you. Make your health a priority and take the necessary steps to live a long and healthy life so that you can smell as many roses as possible for as long possible. You owe that not only to yourself, but to those who love you.