Regarding plan Bs, this is absolutely true. Straight up: if a potential client comes to me inquiring about my coaching and I know that they have income coming in from somewhere else, I know right off the bat – i.e., 2 lines in an email – that we need to establish how important their business is to them. All too often, having that cushion means that the motivation to step up to the plate just isn't there. (Can you tell that I've given away a LOT of time with these peeps? *laugh*)

“Balance is a myth” is another topic that everyone thinks but nobody says out loud. When you LOVE what you do, it doesn't feel like work, so who says working 60+ hours a week is, well, work? (The “putting yourself last” part I was referring to above was specifically about the money and paying yourself, which is how I heard/interpreted it.)

Anyways. Put my vote down for a video on that one!

I agree there is some money versus passion & profit equals greed stuff going on in my head, which makes sense since I teach all about that (we all teach what we need to learn, write the book we need to read, etc.). And I've known about that for myself for *years* since working w/ my first life coach.

There's another issue there too (that I'll explore on another video) … if you have a plan B or backup plan (or income from somewhere else), then it's easy to avoid uncomfortable stuff & never take the big leap.

Now I do think that balance is a myth — something that everyone is trying for but no one actually has, except for a moment in time. And so many people think they “should” be balanced instead of just living their lives.

And my business is a gigantic part of my life, my life isn't something other than my business. So, I don't begrudge that I work 50-60/hrs a week on my biz … cause I love what I do and it encompasses most of my passions. Working on my biz isn't putting myself last, it's actually a very selfish (in a good way) act on my part.

Course, I will need to pay the rent, lol.

There is something I'm hearing here that concerns me, though. What I'm hearing – and granted, I'm listening between the lines, so, y'know – is again the old, tired, and frankly, dangerous idea that passion and profit have to be mutually exclusive. (I also heard a little bit of the old “profit equals equals greed by default” mindset in their too, a mindset that causes entrepreneurs to grossly undervalue what they do, making it that much harder to be profitable.)

For some entrepreneurs, especially peeps in our heart-centered, purpose-driven entrepreneur tribe, it IS about creating a lifestyle AND being of service. Not a superficial lifestyle full of bling and fancy cars and rock 'n roll hair or what have you, but time and freedom to, well, NOT work 70 hours a day (she says, typing this at 1 am – cha!). Balance and having a life. And yes, having the things we want in our lives because it's OKAY to desire things simply, well, because. And y'know, it's okay to want that… right from the start.

I've never viewed wanting things as a bad thing. It's not about greed, it's not about collecting stuff to be happy (though believe me I've had my fair share of buying WITHOUT instead of looking WITHIN), but mindfully choosing things that truly add to our enjoyment of life, giving us more fuel to go back out there and do great things in our lives and the world.

Yes, of course you have to make meaningful choices. But the idea that you have to sacrifice every last bit of whatever to be of service through your business, or to build something big and amazing – lady, I just don't buy it. I have a very clear, very BIG vision for my service in the world… and let me tell ya, I don't think I could keep going if I bought into the idea that I have to put myself LAST to create this great thing later. (After all, how can we give when our cup is empty? As that guy on Star Trek says, you can't change the laws of physics.)

And amazingly, the more I embrace that belief, that passion AND service AND profit can commingle peacefully, happily and joyfully together… the more abundance and success rolls my way. And the more supported I am to manifest my long-term vision.

(Plus, y'know, like Laura, my biz is payin' the bills. *grin*)

I would love to hear @ebenpagan's take on this.

Thank you again for making this video and creating such valuable conversation. Ya got me thinking and clearly many others, too. xoxo!