Work hard...but learn to enjoy your life off the clock

"I work 60 hours a week."..."I haven't had a day off in months."..."I put in over 100 hours of OT this month."

Grind. Grind. Grind.

Look, we get it. I firmly believe in the value of hard work. There will always be those with better luck, more privilege, et cetera that will end up in a better position than you, but by rule, if you work harder, you will make it further.

Having said that, learn to embrace live and the peace you can find in it.

We have this idea in our minds in this country that the right thing to do in life is work yourself to the point of collapsing when you are younger so that you can enjoy the spoils when you are older. There exists this mindset that there is this direct connection between our value and the amount of time we spend "grinding". Again, I am all about giving your best effort in anything you are doing, but I also believe that a life lived without balance is a life not lived.

Think of this scenario. An individual works 80+ hours a week to provide for their family as well as have disposable income. The idea behind this mindset is that they will have money to take trips and make memories. The problem is the individual never has the free time to enjoy what they have earned, and the family never gets to spend time together. The "grind" provided, but the family is still unhappy. Was it really worth it?

There is much more to life than just working your ass off, especially if you never take the time to enjoy what you have worked so hard for. Think about those who say they work so hard now to enjoy their spoils in the future. Now, we are ignoring the present to worry about a future that no one is promised. What if you do make it all the way to retirement with the money you earned? Are you still able to physically enjoy it? Or, did you waste your youth for a dream that will never come true?

Bust your ass on the clock, but realize there is more to life than those moments spent on the clock. Trust me, I love money, and I love spending it. I understand hard work and ensuring you have enough to survive. But, I also understand that my life is better lived with the people I love, making memories that will last a lifetime. Grind on the clock, but we sure that your true focus is on the things that matter the most. Enjoy the time spent off the clock!