The Paradox of How to Grow Your Business

It was late morning when I arrived at a bed and breakfast at Lake Como, Italy. The front desk was empty, so I walked into the back and found a man sitting peacefully, reading, taking in the view. “Hi, I’m checking in,” I said. He welcomed me warmly and handed me a key.

“One more thing. What’s the Wi Fi password?”

“We don’t have internet here,” he said calmly. I assumed I misheard him. I didn’t.

No internet. No urgency. No concern.

The coach in me kicked in. “How do you run your business? Stay informed? Grow?”

He looked at me and asked, “How would that help me?”

“You’ll be able to attract more guests and create more opportunities,” I responded.

He listened, then asked, “Why would I want that?”

I kept going. “Bigger business. More locations. More money.”

“And then what?” he asked.

“Then you can relax, spend time with your family, and enjoy your life.”

He paused. Smiled. Looked me in the eyes and said, “What do you think I’m doing now?”

That hit me. Everything I was suggesting required him to sacrifice what he had already created. A full life. Time with his family. Peace. Presence. Joy. Fulfillment.

We spend years chasing what we believe success should look like. More growth. More money. A bigger house. More recognition.

But rarely do we stop long enough to question whether the “more” we’re chasing is taking us further from what we actually want or already have.

When you’re always focused on what’s next, you’re not focused on what’s now and can’t be present enough to see the success, gifts, and blessings you have.

Many of us operate as if fulfillment lives somewhere in the future. Just one more goal away. One more deal. One more win. Yet every time we arrive, the feeling fades. Then we reset the target and keep running; ironically, at the sacrifice of what we’re looking to create.

As I’ve gotten older, my definition of success has shifted from wanting more to wanting less. Less about what I can acquire and more about honoring my passions, core values, who I surround myself with, and the people I can impact while I’m here.

Most people miss the real gift because they’re too busy chasing the next thing.

Life doesn’t pass us by because we’re working so hard. It passes us by because we’re chasing what we think we need, while ignoring the most important things already in front of us.

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