I Struggle Just Like My Kids Do With This

I had a thought cross my mind today to quit writing. 

My monkey mind was telling me: “You’ve got nothing to say… Are you really going to keep writing every single week!?”

The monkey mind continued…quit writing because “who are you to share your thoughts?” 

This thought comes from a place of worry.

Worrying that people will not like my art. (writing)

I’ve been wrestling with worry my whole life. Ever since I was a little kid I worried. 

I worried that when my parents were two minutes late to pick me up from school.

I worried that other kids would like me.

I worried that I’d make the travel soccer team.

I worried about my grades in school.

Now, as an adult…I still worry. 

The worry is still here! It didn’t go away. (It doesn’t go away.)

That’s part of the challenge in family business. We have to confront the human condition head on to ensure continuity of our family centerprise.

We can’t separate the personal and the work. It’s a very human issue. It’s all integrated. It all comes back around.

Every generation will face the same human issues. We as the stewards of our generation can decide if we want to help or ignore the issues for those who come next. 

Now as a father, I’m helping my children with the same ever present issue I wrestle with. Worry.

I see my kids worry. So we’re exploring this emotion together. I can relate with my kids on this.

It’s a timeless struggle. There’s nothing timely about it. The ever present challenge of worry transcends generations. 

In a family business, we get to create a place where we can wrestle with these timeless challenges together. We can journey on this with our teammates and our family. 

In a family business that is done right, what we’re actually doing is walking each other home. 

We’re not necessarily overcoming or conquering all of our problems. But we’re journeying through them with people we love.

That’s what I call a centerprise. 

A vessel where we grow closer through optimizing for wisdom and relationships.

I may not have conquered worry, but I will continue to improve for a better tomorrow. 

Thank you for sharing your morning with me. I’ll be back with more candor and challenges I’m facing because I don’t think I’m alone in these challenges. 

(I won’t stop writing. I’ll keep showing up.)

Do you ever feel worry? Who can you talk to this week about your worries? 

Please have the courage to share your worry because most humans want to help. Your family business will be more human if you share your human emotions with your team.

Candidly, your worry is probably not unique to just you.

Onward,
Matt