My Lifestyle Design Interview with Robert Atkinson

Sunset over Penang, Malaysia.

Zen-Preneur Success Interview with Business Coach Robert Atkinson

In an interesting reversal, I was approached by someone wanting to interview me. In this interview, I share with business executive coach Robert Atkinson from Mt. Shasta, California my entrepreneurial journey over the last several years, designing a lifestyle business up to the point where I’m at today. I share some of the most important lessons and experiences that I’ve taken from these several years of experience; things others have taught me, and things I discovered along the way.

Left click to listen online. Right click and save to download.

INTERVIEW WITH DANNY FLOOD 4-11-13
Here’s a link to the interview on Richard’s blog.

After listening to this interview, I want you to think about something….

Tony Hsieh (CEO of Zappos), in his work, “Delivering Happiness,” teaches that there are three types of happiness: Pleasure, Passion, and Higher Purpose.

I will tell you this: the most successful entrepreneurs that I’ve watched have figured out how to experience the first two P’s in great abundance.

Not only do their lives and their work bring them great pleasure, but they also freely share it with others.

They’ve tapped into their passion, and it drives them onward to heights far beyond the average.

Interestingly, I’ve observed that though these individuals are highly successful from an outside perspective (enjoying in great abundance the three key forms of wealth: time/freedom, money, and relationships), each of them reaches a tipping point.

At some point, they invariably start asking themselves bigger questions, seeking out a higher purpose in life.

I think that’s where I’m at in my own journey. I’ve been fortunate to experience a great deal of pleasure and passion as a reward for the work I’ve put into my business and from the fruits of that labor.

I’ve experienced an abundance of time, money, freedom and high-quality relationships with incredible people.

It’ll be interesting to see where this journey will lead. I’m open to whatever great opportunities present themselves.

But I urge YOU, when you think about what makes you happy in life and what you want from life, to think about those three forms of happiness – Pleasure, Passion, and Higher Purpose – and how you can pursue all three for supreme satisfaction, success, and fulfillment.

And finally… always remember that there are different forms of wealth. Relationships are the most important, followed by time, and last is money.

Even in poor countries, people with nothing are happy because they have meaningful relationships with other happy people and time to enjoy the fruits of life. In rich countries, many people are miserable because they devote themselves to accumulation of assets, while sacrificing all of their time and letting their friendships die.

Don’t ever let this happen to you, and if it does, catch yourself. Schedule life and defend it just as you would an important business meeting.

Let the people in your life know that you care about them. Every now and then, toss a few pebbles of caring into your pond of contacts. Those ripples of friendship will spread and unfailingly return to you in waves of appreciation and joy.

So maybe it’s time to call an old friend who needs calling, to forgive what needs forgiving, to let a family member hear some healing words, to write that note that needs writing, to smile an accepting smile at the next person you encounter, or perhaps to just relax in the moment with someone older who’d love your undivided attention for a few minutes.

Be unafraid to show a little humanity, of taking some time now and then to share a laugh, feel some warmth, express some sympathy, do a favor, help a charity, be a friend.

That’s all I wanted to say.

Thanks for reading, and THANK YOU to all my friends, famiy, and clients who have supported me over the years.

Take care until we talk again.

Your Friend,
Danny