Nick Powills: Finding Happiness Starts with You

I get asked all the time if I would ever I sell my business. For now, the answer is no—I am having too much fun with it—the equation, the hustle and the game are extremely satisfying to me.

But, the truth is—whether I want to admit it or not—that someday I will exit, either through my own doing or the doing of life.

Should I exit while still living, most would suggest there are two routes, really—sell it happy or sell it burned out.

If you sell it happy, then you may sell it at a high and perhaps the highest valuation. Sell it burned out, and it could be starting to ride the j-curve downward. 

Somewhere in the middle seems right.

The question that will help me answer the timing will be: ‘How much happier can this work make you?’

Therefore, the day I feel satisfied with the happiness and fun I’ve been afforded through my career as the founder/owner of the company I started (No Limit Agency*, 1851Franchise, ESTATENVY), then I will know it’s time to pivot. That doesn’t necessarily mean retire—rather, it’s time to find something that will make me even happier.

Happiness, in my opinion, is ultimately the daily, weekly, monthly, yearly, lifelong race. It is the best drug in the world. And frankly, when you start understanding the limited time you have to find it, then you can really focus on finding pockets of incredible moments.

Have you ever seen a post on Facebook about someone dying unexpectedly? Most likely. What has that done for you? Has it adjusted your approach to life? No matter how many times we are slapped in the face with the shortness of this life, we don’t seem to address our own happiness. You, for the most part, are in control of your happiness. You, for the most part, get to decide.

I have seen people quit our business without a job. It has happened. I am not angry about them quitting (frustrated sometimes in the way they do it with zero notice or with the middle finger raised high), but I am not frustrated with them chasing their own happiness. They should. They should find something that makes them enjoy their career because every second that passes is another second that they won’t get back.

Younger folks seem more willing to change. But, I am not sure they are simply changing for a chase of happiness. This, in my opinion, should be their focus. Not simply to change.

Do you love what you do? There are certainly degrees of love. Part of love in a career may come out of necessity—meaning you have rent to pay and while it might not be your perfect job, you enjoy enough of the culture, the people and the work to find peace and happiness in what you do. That seems OK—especially if you are smiling 90% of the time. 

The key term there is people. Do you enjoy the people you work with? Can you take a step back and also identify how you are making the business you work with better?

Happiness is achievable by deciding to find happiness. Happiness doesn’t have to be earned through an ultimate win. You can find happiness in reflection. Happiness in laughter. Happiness in love. Happiness in achievement. And each of these can be found this minute. 

What do you choose?