In Others' WordsIn Others' Words: Fun
"People rarely succeed unless they have fun in what they are doing." ~Dale Carnegie, writer & lecturer
I'm just back from a time of relaxation and refreshing, having spent time with good friends in Bandon, OR. The time was the best -- slow-paced enough to be reflective and yet filled with fun and laughter.
While I was there, I discovered my friend Jamie is a serious sandcastle sculptor. She has the knowledge and the tools -- and she takes the time to build some rather intricate sandcastles.
Why build sandcastles? I mean, they don't last. We all know that. It's the whole sand versus waves dilemma. The waves win every time.
Jamie enjoys building sandcastles. It is, in short, fun.
Let me tell you something else about my friend. She has a rather serious career: She's a family physician. Not only that, she's in charge of a residency program. Serious stuff, that.
But Jamie (and her family) know how to laugh and have fun. (Balderdash, anyone?)
She's found a certain balance between seriousness and fun that I admire -- and she constantly adjusts to maintain the right balance.
Oh. One more thing about building sandcastles. For all the fun of the endeavor, Jamie also told my husband that her efforts remind her that nothing lasts.
Hhhm. Fun and significant.
My friend is a wise woman.
In Your Words: Having fun? Achieving success? Has one excluded the other? Stop and think about what defines fun for you. (I'd love to hear about it!) If your striving for success but finding no joy (fun) in the goal ... have you ever considered you're going in the wrong direction?
Labels: Beth K. Vogt, Dale Carnegie, fun, In Others' Words, Jamie Osborn, quotes, sandcastles
posted by Beth K. Vogt @ 2:01 AM
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9 Comments:
I can have fun reading an accountant's work.
Sounds like you had a blast on the beach. Friends like that are gold!
~ Wendy
Really, Wendy? Fun reading numbers? Girl, you and I have got to talk at ACFW! But first: hugs!
Well, most of the time I can easily pinpoint the fun in my striving for writing success - conferences, friends, those aha moments where good plot meets fun character meets (hopefully) snappy writing. My problem is finding the "fun" in the actual butt-in-chair aspect of writing...uh, actually DOING the work! But I think that's a common malady among writers...at least that's what I tell myself when I wonder if I'm the only one grappling with self-discipline.
Fun post, Beth! Sorry, pun entirely intended and subsequently apologized for. :)
Maybe the fun in the "butt in chair" part of writing is the getting it done and getting out of the chair part?
For me having fun means being away from my house--at a friend's, at the movies, on vacation, shopping, whatever. Being at home is all about stress and responsiblity. The question is, how can I bring the fun home? Or, maybe I need to take the stress and responsiblity with me when I'm going off to have fun. Then perhaps I could just lose it (double meaning) somewhere else!
No really, as you said about your friend, it's all about balance. Maybe if I added more fun to my life the stress and responsiblity would diminish in comparison.
Beth, great post. Fun vs success. For me, lately, it's been fun vs tasks. It would be great to find a way to make the necessary daily tasks more fun. :) When the kids are "being sweet," it's easy to have fun with them, cuddling, listening to the stories they make up, playing games with them. Fun also comes in laughter with good friends.
E, I think you bring the fun when home when you blog about life as a mom in your Breathe In Breathe Out blog.
And Jeanne, good friends is success all in itself.
Oh, I love good game of Balderdash (or any other board game, for that matter). I just told my husband yesterday how much I loved his ability to have fun. My in-laws visited last week, and I saw first-hand where he got it from. I always know laughs are in store when I spend time with them.
Family fun--the best! When my house overflows with the laughter of family -- that's success!
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