The Riches are NOT Necessarily in the Niches
I can’t imagine spending my days and life diving deep in just one or two niches. There’s too much to do. There are too many exciting options.
Ever since I was a young boy, I’ve always appreciated the life of Leonardo da Vinci. Visiting the Museo Leonardo Da Vinci in Florence was one of the highlights of my last trip to Italy a few years ago.
Leonardo da Vinci was a great painter. He was also a draftsman, engineer, scientist, theorist, sculptor, and architect. He’s revered for his technological ingenuity and for conceptualizing flying machines, a type of armored fighting vehicle, and a ratio machine that could be used in an adding machine. He made substantial discoveries in anatomy, civil engineering, hydrodynamics, geology, optics, and tribology.
Fast forward to today, I enjoy watching all that billionaire Richard Branson has done and is doing as an entrepreneur, commercial astronaut, and business magnate. He founded the Virgin Group, which controls over 400 companies in various fields, including music, airlines, cruise ships, trains, and space flight.
Did you know that in 1991, Branson crossed the Pacific from Japan to Arctic Canada in a high-altitude balloon? Be 1995 and 1998, Branson, and others, including Larry Newman (I used to fly Larry’s hang gliders), attempted to circumnavigate the globe by balloon.
By the way, Branson shared in his books that he has dyslexia, ADHD and didn’t do too well academically. In fact, on his last day at school, his headmaster told him he would either end up in prison or become a millionaire.
What an interesting man. What an exciting life!
Even the late Steve Jobs, most notably known as the former CEO of Apple, was an entrepreneur, business magnate, industrial designer, media proprietor, and investor. In addition to Apple, he was Pixar’s chairman and majority shareholder; a member of The Walt Disney Company’s board of directors following its acquisition of Pixar; and the founder, chairman, and CEO of NeXT.
My own personal journey has taken me from the hotel and restaurant business into law, real estate, and investing. In addition to being an author, keynote speaker, and co-founder of multiple companies, most of the best memories and experiences I’ve enjoyed are from different times in my life involving family, travel, tennis, football, baseball, scuba diving, hang gliding, windsurfing, skiing, motocross, mountain biking, hiking, running, and paddleboarding.
Doing different things is what keeps life interesting. It also creates new opportunities.
Sure, sometimes success requires you to dive deep and focus on a particular project or task. But remember that this focus doesn’t mean you shouldn’t do and enjoy other personal and business interests and adventures.
Being “rich” can mean many things. It could be having a lot of money and wealth. Or it could mean you’ve learned how to be the kind of person who can give yourself permission to enjoy each day of your life with your family and friends and do what you enjoy doing. With the right decisions, maybe it’s a comfortable combination of all the above.
Unless you’re tired.
Then give yourself a break and take a rest. Make time for yourself because when all else is said and done, the most important “riches” you can have in your life are your physical and mental well-being.
OK. That’s it for this early Sunday morning. I’m off for a run to the beach and back.
Enjoy the journey, and never stop making each day your masterpiece.
