There isn’t a phrase that I laugh at more than when I hear people say, “You should stop and smell the roses.” It’s never been in my DNA to want to stop and coast or simply sit back and let things just naturally happen. Plus, from the fact I had major sinus surgery 5 years ago and caught Covid-19 at least twice that I know of, I really have no sense of smell anyway.
I read the quote this morning from NFL Hall of Famer Jerry Rice that says, “I am willing to do things that other people won’t do today, so I can do things tomorrow that other people can’t do.” This is a pretty accurate statement that describes how I think and act. Most people aren’t willing nor would ever want some of the stress, anxiety, or fear that comes along with what I do – let alone the time commitment it requires of long hours of travel, countless late nights on the phone and checking email, or the brutal nature that having responsibility creates.
So when someone told me the other day that I needed to take more time to “stop and smell the roses,” I looked them dead in the eye and said, “SCREW THE ROSES.” I showed up today to win and win big.
Now I have written notes about taking time off to enjoy my family and have fun, but to me, that is not the same as “smelling the roses.” The amount of time I owe my family to repay all the time and distractions I have on a daily basis will never be fully repaid. All the money in the world can’t replace time. You can only try to be better each day, and that is what I have tried to do.
But smelling the roses? Not for me, not at all.
Going wide open and doing more than even I can possibly fathom? Check Please! Sign me up for that and I will take that lifestyle, own it, and call it living my best life.