Your goals or people? · Dan Callaway Studio

Your goals or people?

I heard a successful business guy say on a Q&A recently that he loved his goals more than he loved his wife -- "if she said 'it's me or your goals,' I'd pick my goals."

Now, I think the hypothetical ultimatum sets up an unhelpful context; this guy's wife isn't saying that to him and supports his goals. But that statement hurt my guts.

My brain was like, "Well, he's clear on his priorities." But my guts clenched up when I heard it.

Then I was super cranky with our 5-year-old when he interrupted me when I was trying to write this morning. I was like, I want my people to be the most important thing, but damn you're frustrating my writing goal this morning.

Of course, it's not such an either-or situation; your people can support your goals, and your goals can support your people.

But I did think -- what if all the structures we depend on to build our goals were gone? It'd be clear who I'd want to have invested in.

When I'm on my deathbed, I'm not going to say, "Please look up my diary entry from the day I finally monetized my YouTube channel. And then flip over to when I got promoted to associate professor."

Your people are more important whether you love your goals more or not.

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