It occurred to me not long ago as I was doing a few things around the house that my base of thinking could be updated.

After working at home in one capacity or the other for about a decade now, I realized that I was still in the mind that I was tied at home with the kids.

My kids are 18, 15 and 11.

I think it’s time for a change.

The truth is that I may not change much because I was lucky enough to engineer my work to be exacty what I enjoy doing.

But it hadn’t really occurred to me that I could.

All of the systems that I use are running on the premise that my presence is needed here on an ongoing basis.

While being around for older kids is an entirely different topic, the truth is that there is no longer anyone crying outside of the shower while I finish up in 3 minutes flat, and no one expecting grill cheese with ketchup at 12:00 sharp.

SO WHAT OTHER SYSTEMS COULD BE OUTDATED?

It got me to thinking that a lot of the systems we use, if we use any at all, are based on assumptions and situations based on years, and even decades past.

Eben Pagan gives a good example of this when he tells us that the streets of Boston (which apparently aren’t known for their organization or structure) were originally buffalo paths that were paved over.

Talk about being in a rut!

Or you’ve probably all heard of how they train elephants by chaining them as babies and after a time as they grow, even when they no longer wear chains, they don’t realize that they can run free if they wish.

A FEW QUESTIONS TO ASK YOURSELF TODAY

• Is there anything that I am doing right now that I don’t need to be, that is no longer serving me or that is geared to a circumstance long gone?

• Is there something that I can be doing instead that is better, more productive or more enjoyable?

• Is it time to switch up the template that I’ve been using to engineer my business and/or my life?

SHAKE THE FOUNDATION

For me, a few ways that I could materialize some major change would be…

1 – I have an online natural skin care ingredients business that I’ve been operating from my home for 7 years. I could move to a store in town and expand the whole thing completely.

2 – I could relocate my office to a place in town where they have ‘high speed’ (yes, I really am a dinosaur. High speed is something that I got to use – once – and still dream about daily).

3 – On a smaller scale, they have high speed at the library (I come from such a small town, this is big news. Last week’s headline in the paper was “Bingo closed during investigation”.)

I could take my laptop and go to work a few afternoons at the library if I choose. For that matter, I could go somewhere else to work when ever I want. Such as the beach or a park when it’s nice out or I could get hip and go to a Starbucks (we don’t have one somewhere within 2 hours driving distance, but I could if I wanted to :0)

4 – I could set an example and help my son redecorate his room. For some reason, at 18 he thinks he’s outgrown the Mighty Ducks.

How about you?

What have you always done because you’ve always done it?

And remember, if you’re over 40, you can always claim midlife crisis.

Hmmmm.

Tawanda!