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Marisa Murgatroyd

Mindset

When Work Feels Like Play: Moving from Obligation to Inspiration in Your Business

About a year ago I turned 40… yep it was a milestone birthday and when I eventually got over the “OMG! I’m 40!” thing, it hit me…

I’ve always believed I’m superhuman (still do) but the truth is I’m also only human.

For years and years — literally decades — I’ve been hustling my butt off. It’s been “go, go, go, go, go” and I’ve been working 10, 12, even 15 hours a day.

And yes, hustle gets you places but now I see that it’s also so important to build rest and play into your business.

When you do, you can come from a place of rejuvenation, resourced juiciness and creativity.

You’ll have the focus, energy and inspiration you need to grow your business and enjoy every moment.

And when you have these different ways to rest and to play — whether it’s time in nature, vacation time with your family, whatever it is that you love to do — you’re going to have SO much more to give.

It’s taken me 41 years, but now I realize that the business I’m interested in building as I move forward, doesn’t require me to work almost nonstop and burn the candle at both ends.

The business I want to build, the business that feels good, gives me the space I need to rest and play on one hand and work and hustle on the other.

So, in an ideal situation you’re not just taking time off to rest and rejuvenate but you’re actively building play into the center of your business.

You’ll be called forth and forward into your work and you’ll have that charge and that enthusiasm and motivation for your work.

You’ll be on fire and everyone will look at you and say, “I want that!”

So, what do you enjoy doing? What fuels you? What gives you life and energy so you can give more to everything else — your business, your co-workers, your family, your friends?

These days, if I’m going to take on any project or do any kind of work, I’m coming from a place of inspiration.

And when you come from inspiration not obligation, you’re building your business not because you should not because you have to but because you want to and that changes the game.

Let’s ditch obligation and start building our business out of love, play, rest and inspiration.

What are 2 or 3 ways that you can recharge your batteries and flip the switch mentally so work feels like inspiration not obligation? How you can shift the way you look at your business so it no longer feels like work… it feels like play?

Share your thoughts in the comments 🙂

Love it? Hate it? Let me know...

  1. Richard Koenigsberg Avatar
    Richard Koenigsberg

    Good distinction between inspiration and obligation. No one is required to do anything nowadays. But what is the nature of the deisre? What motivates you to become so sucessful, Marissa.

    What is the precise nature of your “calling?”

    1. Marisa Murgatroyd Avatar
      Marisa Murgatroyd

      Hi Richard 🙂 My calling is to help 1 million entrepreneurs take their business out of what we call “the blue sky phase” and into the real world where they can make consistent revenue and a real difference in the lives of others. What’s yours?

  2. Azlan Avatar
    Azlan

    Hi Marissa!
    I love everything I do! I’m just doing a little too much of all of it! I like this idea of making it all juicier and more fun! There’s always the parts of work that are more like cleaning the toilet and horse stables, and the gratification comes after it’s done!
    Celebrating milestones of grit for tiny movements toward freedom from animal-feeding stress! (I feed a lot of animals)!

    1. Marisa Murgatroyd Avatar
      Marisa Murgatroyd

      Wow Azlan, I’m always amazed by people who take care of animals on that scale. Definitely take some time to plug in and recharge!

  3. Lara Elfstrand Avatar
    Lara Elfstrand

    Play for me is bikes at the beach, yoga, walks outside, dancing. My goal is to chatterbox by blowing bubbles at a park and talking to parents whose kids come to play.

    1. Marisa Murgatroyd Avatar
      Marisa Murgatroyd

      I love that idea Laura! Great thinking — “play” with a purpose lol — thanks for sharing! 🙂

  4. David Boateng Avatar
    David Boateng

    There’re so many ways of recharging our batteries. Above all you need to psych your mind that whatever you’re doing is sweet, enjoyable and easy, even if it’s not. By this psychology one can play works into accomplishments without pain or stress. One good thing about music is that when it hits you, you feel no pain. Thank you dear Marisa.

    1. Marisa Murgatroyd Avatar
      Marisa Murgatroyd

      Great point David! You can trick yourself into feeling happy just by smiling so that’s definitely one way to approach it — music always helps too 😉

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