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I’m playing around with an idea – one that excites me and challenges me all at the same time, which by the way, is a very good sign.

This morning I spent some time with a book I love by Ariana Huffington, called “Thrive.” In it she pulls back the curtain on our work-obsessed culture that’s threatening not just the health of our society, but our vary souls. At first, I was reading as an outsider, as most of her references are of those in the corporate world. Then it dawned on me, hmmm… these scenarios aren’t so different from my own experience. The long hours, the sense of overwhelm and the desire to achieve – these all ring true for me as well. And what about the hours I was putting in for the sake of building our businesses? How much was I REALLY working? I pride myself on daily walks to the beach or a hike in the forest, but what does the rest of my day look like? My curiosity was piqued.So I opened my Outlook (um, confession… it was already open) and took a close look at the last month. If I filled in all the spots where I wasn’t booked but was working, I’d be hard pressed to find a day that wasn’t packed to the gills with work. I’m typically up at 6 and spend about 30 minutes in my morning practice of reading, journaling and doing something that resembles meditation. Then, like the starting gun in an Olympic race I begin. From answering emails, meeting with team members, coaching clients and developing course curriculum – I am a woman on a mission and in truth, it feels awesome.

But how many hours am I really working? Putting pen to paper, the truth became real. I’m clocking, on average 70 hours a week. Granted, I love what I do but that doesn’t change the truth – I’m spending 70 plus hours a week in my career not my life. Not only is this not healthy for me or my relationships, it’s also moving me toward a one dimensional life – something I have no interest in living.

And so today I begin anew. While staying true to our goal of 1 million in 12 months, my aim is to do it in half the time I’ve been spending.  It’s a quest that I imagine will test me, frustrate me and require that I grow in ways I can’t imagine. It’s also a call to model for my clients who look to me to “get it right” so they can follow suit.

It’s worth noting that I’m embarking upon this “fiscal year challenge” to reach seven figures while investing only seven hours each weekday on the 7th day of the 7th month. Seven is a sacred number and this feels sacred to me.

So dear reader, what does this stir in you? Would you like to work less and still hit your revenue goals? I believe you can and I’m on a mission to lead the way. I hope you’ll join me.

Jane Deuber is an internationally known business strategist, author and speaker, who for 29 years has built seven successful businesses and helped thousands of entrepreneurs do the same. To discover where you can shift to accelerate your bottom line success, click here to take the  Business Acceleration Quiz. In addition to receiving your “Report of Findings” you’ll also receive powerful next steps for growing your business. Email us at: janed@janedeuber.com.