This is a PSA for all of you hard-driving entrepreneurs who think you don’t have the time, or don’t make the time, to maintain your friendships. The reality is there is probably nothing more important than that. The work will be there, but your friends might not.
In this two-minute clip, New York Times bestselling author and thought leader Simon Sinek talks about why he is obsessed with friendship, and how focusing on friendship solves many of the big issues we are experiencing. Sinek says:
If you look at most the challenges that we’re talking about these days, the epidemic of loneliness, the rising rates of depression, anxiety, inability to cope with stress, and in extreme cases, suicide – friendship fixes all of those things.
New York Times bestselling author and licensed therapist Esther Perel says:
I believe that the bonds and the connections that we have with other people provide us with a greater sense of meaning and happiness and well-being than any other human experience, which is to say that it is the quality of your relationships which ultimately will determine the quality of your lives.
If quality of life didn’t convince you of the importance of maintaining friendships, how about increasing your chances for health and longevity? According to this article on Harvard.edu:
Researchers agree that social connection can help people live longer and healthier lives. Being socially disconnected, for example, is associated with higher risk of illnesses, including heart disease, stroke, anxiety, depression, and dementia. Loneliness and social isolation have also been shown to increase the risk for premature death by 26% and 29% respectively.
Friendships require nurturing, just like anything else. As busy as you are, you need to carve out time to connect with friends. The benefits are overwhelming and you are almost guaranteed to get a great return on that investment.
Photo by Helena Lopes on Unsplash
