Here’s how…

“Start with the lifestyle not with the business, otherwise the business will take your lifestyle.” — Tony Robbins

Back in 1998, I was an executive with the Hertz Corporation. I lived in Manhattan and worked at the headquarters in Park Ridge, New Jersey.  I had been with Hertz for 11 years working my way up the corporate ladder and actually made it.

Unfortunately, the view at the top wasn’t all I’d hoped it would be.

Here’s why it stunk:
1) I had to move to a city that was fun but far away from my family and friends in Colorado.
2) I traveled extensively. Three weeks a month I was on a plane on a Sunday afternoon headed to a different city where I’d stay until Friday night.
3) The corporate culture at Hertz was so stuffy that we were required to wear a jacket if we ventured outside of our office.
4) The corporate politics made the real politicians look like amateurs.

In a nutshell, I hated it.

My Uncle Bill (my mentor and honorary Father) told me that I would never get rich working for someone else, so I made the decision to leave Hertz and venture out on my own entrepreneurial path.  I’ve owned and operated several business since then and even ventured back into a “JOB” when I needed to solve the mortgage financing mystery, but I’m happiest and most fulfilled when I’m working for myself.

In fact, I have some principles by which I live my life.

My personal mission statement is “Have fun. Be free. Create value.” And it’s in that particular order on purpose.

Having Fun in Cabo.

I even drew up my vision of the ultimate lifestyle.  Some might call it my “lifestyle design.” And here it is:

1) “What Do I Want to Do Today?”
I want to do what I want to do. Not what someone else wants me to do.

2) Passive Income Pays the Bills
As an entrepreneur, I don’t want to have to worry where the money’s coming from to cover my living expenses.  So, I set up passive revenue streams from real estate investments and other businesses that exceed my annual cost of living.  I have a nice car, toys, take luxurious vacations but I don’t get caught up in an excessive materialistic lifestyle.

3) Have Fun

I can’t get motivated unless I’m having fun.  In work and in play.  So, I only work on projects that are fun.  In fact, I closed my mortgage company in 2008 because it wasn’t fun anymore.  It was a very lucrative, successful business that supported many people.  When I announced I was closing the business, my loan officers and clients were stunned.  No one could believe that I walked away just because “I wasn’t having fun anymore.”  I was able to because of #2 above.

4) Hang Out Only With Positive, Happy People
This was a tough one.  When I closed my mortgage company, I also took stock of the people that were in my inner circle of friends and family.  I made a list of all the negative people that were an emotional drain and created unnecessary drama and chaos in my life.  I systematically “broke up” with each and every one of them.  A lot of people thought this was harsh, especially my Mom, when one of the people I broke up with was my sister.  But my life is drama free and much better for having eliminated the negativity.

5) Have No Time Obligations
I threw away my alarm clock. I don’t even have one anymore.  I wake up when I wake up, eat breakfast and get to the office when I get there.  If I have a deadline or scheduled obligation it’s for something I want to do not for something I have to do.  There’s a big difference.

6) Wear Whatever You Want
I like being comfortable.  I wear jeans in the winter and shorts and flip flops in the summer.  Everywhere. When I had my mortgage company, one of my loan officers was upset that I wore flip flops to meet with a potential equity investor.  He thought it was unprofessional.  I think that if someone is offended that I wear flip flops then I don’t want to do business with them.

7) Work from Anywhere
I like to travel.  And I like hanging out at the beach for several weeks during the summer.  Every business I’m involved in can be run virtually from anywhere in the world.

So, what about you?

Have you designed your lifestyle or has someone else?

If it’s someone else, what are you going to do about it?  Start now.