This morning I was thinking of all things that I have involved myself and my family in.  I thought it would be fun to write the roles that I play in the crazy world that we live in and was suprised when I came up with 10 key roles that I am responsible for and actively involved in!   I’d like to share these top 10 roles not to ‘brag’ or ‘boast’ yet to share the fact that I’m not alone and people, just like me, have similar key roles (and in many cases many more) that they are involved in.  So, my 10 key roles I am responsible for are:

• FAMILY – I’m a husband; a father; a friend; a son; a brother
• WORK – I’m a owner; manager; leader; a teacher; a producer; a consultant
• INSTRUCTOR – I’m a licensed real estate agent instructor
• BNI – I’m a member and serve as the education coordinator
• LDS BISHOPRIC – I’m a member and serve the Primary and Young Men
• SCOUTING – I’m a leader and serve as the Chartered Organaziton Representive
• CEDAR HILLS – I’m the owner of and manage a real estate investment portfolio
• LDS UNPLUGGED – I’m the founder and operator of this new concept and idea
• SKI INSTRUCTOR – I’m a part time instructor for a locally owned ski resort
• FES AGENT – I’m an agent and member of a financial educaiton company

As I started comiling everything that I’ve brought on to myself I had an ‘ah-ha’ moment where I realized “That’s why I’m so busy and have many days where I feel I’m never getting caught up and never have any time for myslef!”   Now, understand that these are 10 of likely many other’s I could possibly right down.   I reminded myself this past week of how this is not the first time I’ve stretched myself too thin…   This is not the first time I’ve felt like taffy being pulled and stretched in so many different directions.   You see, I have a disease, I call it the ‘I can do it’ disease!   This disease is a mental one… I have this crazy belief that I can take on more and more and be great at everything that is given me at any given moment.  The truth of the matter is, it’s not humanly possible.    If you add to your pile and run faster than you can run, you will eventually faint and fall.   I know, from experience, I have hit ‘burn out’ and with the help of friends; family and my soul mate; I have learned to cope with burn out and learn how to prevent it.    Here’s a great article that I encourage anyone, in my similar shoes, to read and study:

http://www.helpguide.org/articles/stress/preventing-burnout.htm

At the end of each day, I remind myself that it is good to be active and involved in many things, yet as I know from experience, I can either be mediocre at many things and world class at none, or I can be world class at a few things and mediocre at none.   My choice is the latter, to be world class at a few things, knowing when I’m capped and be ‘ok’ with saying ‘No’ and/or replacing one of my key roles next time I’m asked… ‘Will you serve’ ; ‘Can you help’ ; ‘I need you too’ ; ‘I wish you could’, etc. etc.

My ultimate goal is to find joy in living a simple; focused; honest and happy life.   My hopes are that you too will find your own happiness and not burn yourself out in the journey of this wonderful life we live.