So, you are playing a game that is big enough for you (measured in quantity and/or quality), and you are focused on the process as much as the destination of achieving your goals.  Congratulations!  You’re addressing the first two of the three elements of building and maintaining entrepreneurial desire.

The third element is pretty straightforward, yet often overlooked.  Have fun.

Fun at Work

Have you designed your work to have more fun?  What are you doing to have fun in your work? 

One aspect of fun (and productivity) we have identified is “What you do, that gives you energy”. We work with many clients on how to grow the skills and strengths that give them the most energy.  Others get a kick out of building in regular, little rewards for achieving measured levels of progress.  These rewards raise your energy and are a lot of fun.

When I was just starting my career, I sold financial products.  Each month that I reached the goal that I had set, I treated myself to a steak and eggs breakfast at one of the local first class hotels.  At the time I couldn’t afford much.  But, even the most expensive breakfast (about $20) was affordable once I had hit my monthly goal.  For that morning each month, I felt like a king.  It was a lot of fun, sitting with those professional looking business executives, all reading their newspapers and acting very official. 

I never missed one single month’s goal (or my breakfast feast reward) for the three years that I kept up this reward.  It was too much fun to miss out on.

Now, I look for different ways to have fun.  First of all, I won’t take on a client unless I enjoy that person’s company.  That way I have more fun with clients.  I highly recommend it.

This may sound arrogant, but think about it for a minute.  How much help will you be to someone if you don’t get along, or if you can’t have fun together?  You are doing no one any good if you work with someone that sucks energy from you. 

That doesn’t mean that we don’t deal with challenging situations…  we do, all the time.  That’s part of what people hire us for…  but without a personal connection – based on mutual respect and enjoyment – it wouldn’t be fun. We couldn’t do our best work for people.

That would certainly be a bad deal for anyone who is paying you to assist in generating big results!

Company Structure

Another thing you can explore is how you have structured your company to keep work fun. 

At Kaizen Consulting, we work with companies very specifically when they want to grow.  What a fun (and challenging) time in a company’s evolution!  We are privileged to share the dreams and goals of entrepreneurs and then assist them in seeing those dreams come true in real life.

How can you structure your company around the things that keep you energized?

Your Environment

The environment you set up will also contribute to your levels of fun.  When I wrote this article, I was looking out the window of a small restaurant on the beach in Mazatlan, Mexico.  The background was Mexican music playing, a speedboat racing by, pulling a para-sailing passenger who was hanging from a parachute about 75 feet up, on a pristine day.

Even though I tried to find a quiet, secluded corner to work from, the odd person still came by to lecture me about bringing a computer on my “vacation”.  Their attitudes changed dramatically when I let them know that I was not on vacation.  I just prefer to periodically work in a warm, sunny climate, rather than the winter rain of Vancouver, BC. 

Then, everyone seemed to want my job.  I can’t blame them.  I generally take off one week each month, to either relax, or to work in a different environment (sunny, hot, with phones that don’t work too well – always the preferred choice).

Turns Out, Fun Has Many Rewards

After starting the practice of monthly escapes five years ago, my income rose by over 41% within 6 months, despite the 25% reduction in available client delivery time.  My work requires that I be fresh in order to assess situations clearly, on behalf of clients.  I can’t do this effectively when I am tired.  You cannot work at your highest level when you are tired either!

I know of no better method of staying fresh than to get away for a short time each month, to rejuvenate your body, your mind, and your spirit.

What do you do that is fun for you?  Over the next week, review your way of working to see how you might add more fun to it.