My buddy Jim Stuckey, P.E. shared this week’s Friday Fun video. Jim’s watched it dozens of times and laughs every time. It sure cracks me up.  It’s a thing of beauty.

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AEQw0ztvgZY

I got to know Jim when he left a VP job at a successful consulting engineer firm to become the Executive Director of Facilities and Technology at one of the fastest growing churches in the country. He took on a whole new set of work challenges because he believed it best invested his life.

That idea connected with me as I thought about my supper last night with my friend who just got out of a 15 year prison stay for selling drugs. My friend lived an intense life, both on the streets and in state prison where he reined as power lifting champion for years. As we talked about the struggles of transition, I thought about the process of continuity.

We tend to get more challenges, more work, more fun problems to solve as we successfully complete the ones in front of us. For example, if you can’t manage your personal time or money, don’t think you’ll do better in your own business. Get what seem to be the little struggles done right and you’ll have the opportunity to fight bigger battles.

If you think that you don’t want bigger problems to solve, that you dream of a life free of struggle or aggravation, don’t go into your own business. The rewards of running your own firm or being part of a growing firm are many, but carefreeness isn’t one of them.

Just like the Lime Green Guy in the commercial, we all get to select our own vision of beauty, of how to spend the currency of our life. I hope you don’t fall for the false bargain that implies ease brings happiness. Here’s to struggling, struggling well and struggling at the right things.