I want to share a story that I heard once and can’t seem to forget. It’s about a father and his daughter at the playground. The little girl is on the swings, smiling as her dad gently pushes her higher and higher. Then, as the sun starts to set, the dad says, “We need to go home now, sweetheart.” The girl, with the innocence and charm only a child can muster, looks up and says, “Please, Daddy, one more time.”

The dad pauses for a moment and replies, “Okay, one more time.”

Nearby, another parent, visibly stressed and rushing to get home, overhears this exchange. Frustrated, they walk up to the patient father and say, “How do you have so much patience? I just get so frustrated. We’re late for dinner, and I can’t deal with all the delays.”

The father looks at them with quiet understanding and says, “Well, I would do anything to swing my oldest son one more time. But after the accident, he’s no longer with us. So, every time one of my kids asks for ‘one more time,’ I do everything I can to make it possible. I guess you grow a different kind of patience.”

This story always stops me in my tracks. Sometimes we move so fast we don’t realise how grateful we should be. Often the most precious things in life are often unmeasurable and we don’t even notice them until it is too late.

The Unmeasurable Moments

Life is full of things we can measure: time, money, deadlines, productivity. But the moments that truly matter, the ones that make life worth living, are the ones that can’t be quantified. Quality time with loved ones. The graduation of your child. The fresh air on the beach. A warm hug.

I heard Jimmy Carr say something that resonated deeply with me:
“Trade the measurable with the unmeasurable.”

It’s a simple idea but incredibly profound. Nobody lies on their deathbed wishing they’d spent more time at the office or earned a little more money. What we wish for are more moments with the people we love, more experiences that fill our hearts rather than our bank accounts.

The Balance Myth

Everyone talks about balance. But what the heck is that? I think you should not completely ignore measurable things like business goals, financial success, or daily tasks. The balance is about being in a position where you can make the choices you truly want to.

If you’re building a business, it should be something that serves you and aligns with what you love. If you hate your business, it’s important to remember that the architect of that business is you. The good news? Architects can redesign.

And don’t panic. If you realize your focus or your needs have changed, that’s okay. It’s perfectly fine to:

• Redesign the business to better fit your current goals.
• Be ready to sell it and work on making that happen
• Even close it entirely, if that’s what serves you best.

My Three Quick Questions for You

1. What measurable things in your life could you trade for the unmeasurable?
2. Are you building a life and business you truly love or are you stuck in something you’ve outgrown?
3. What’s your “one more time,” and are you making space for it?

– Rickard