_ A _ _Y?

Starting a company is hard work. Couldn’t be more cliché than that to start this post. When some people asked me a few months ago if I would be able to deal with the company, my studies (I’m currently doing my Distance DELTA Module 2 – a diploma in teaching English as a second language) and my wedding party, which is in December, all together. I replied “yes” with a big smile on my face, and with that inner feeling of “I’m really going for it”.

And then reality comes. Working from 7am to 9pm every day, no time to have lunch, spending a lot of time stuck in traffic, doing whatever I have to do in front of the PC on Saturdays, working on my DELTA on Sundays, with very little money in my bank account, my car is now the bank’s car, no salary, running to and fro helter-skelter, anxiety levels roller-coaster like. And yet, this is probably the best job I’ve ever had.

But now I do understand when a former boss of mine, who owns the company I worked for, said: “If I knew how much work it would be, I wouldn’t do it again. When I realized it, it was already too late to turn back”. Interesting, but hopefully I won’t get there. Hopefully.

And then I was listening to the Brazilian swimmer Cesar Cielo on the radio today, after he won his 3^rd gold medal in the 50m free style. A journalist asked what it takes to cope with the insane amount of practising and training every day. Interestingly enough, he said that he needed to be happy, just that. He said he couldn’t possibly go through all he has to do in one year to swim those few seconds if he’s not happy. I guess that the thought of a training session might be enough to depress someone in a gray Monday morning.

I get it. And I agree with it. There were mornings when I’ve asked myself: “Why am I doing this to myself? I really liked my old job. Money wasn’t a plus, but definitely not a big issue.”  But the good feeling of a productive and effective working day makes a great difference.

I’ve already included in my daily agenda some routine reminders, such as: “how can I be memorable today?”, “what have you done about sales today?”, “pay the bills, chief!”, “plan your lessons”…

Guess I’ll add this one now: “Happy?”.