The Journey Begins
I am certain that what I experienced towards the end of 1990 was not a mid-life crisis; it was though, the realisation that I wanted more: more fulfilment, more challenges, more satisfaction, maybe more recognition and I wanted to be extended to see just what I could achieve. Realisation was, of course, an important first step, but then I needed to develop a strategy, a game plan that would hopefully lead me to total self-fulfilment.
Oh, if only it were that simple! Moving out of my comfort zone, which included all the trappings associated with corporate life, would take guts for sure but it would also require huge commitment and tremendous self-belief.
Armed with a newly acquired MBA and almost twenty years commercial experience gained working for some of the biggest players around the globe at the highest levels, I thought I knew a thing or two about business, but translating that knowledge and experience into a saleable commodity would be the real challenge.
Probably the most daunting aspect was the fact that I had no material whatsoever and my choice was quite simple: I would either have to become an “agent” or an “associate” of one of the market leaders such as Holdene or Miller-Heiman and allow them to dictate the “style” of my work, or I would have to sit down and start writing my own material.
The turning point came in 1993 when I discovered Earl Nightingale - probably the greatest motivational speaker and personal development guru of our time – and yes, I include Anthony Robbins, Brian Tracy, and Tom Peters in that assessment.
The Journey Continues
On that day in September, as I listened to him illustrate the fact that most people are like rudderless boats bobbing up and down on the ocean, being taken wherever the currents should wish to lead them, then reminiscing in old age and saying to themselves ‘If only I had’ or ‘I wish I had’ and essentially blaming everybody else for their unfulfilment and lack of achievement. Whereas, he said that the small percentage that took control of their vessel and steered into ‘harbours of opportunity’ would look back with satisfaction and say ‘I have’ and ‘I did’.
I remember he quoted Albert Einstein,” The definition of insanity is to continue to do the same things in the hope that those things will miraculously achieve a different result.” In other words, “Keep doing what you are doing and you’ll keep getting what you have been getting” – and in my case that was unacceptable.
He also said that all successful people had at least two things in common: The first was their attitude and the second was that they all expected to be successful and because they wanted it badly enough they brought about its happening - i.e. fulfilled expectation.
As I drove home that evening, I felt inspired… I had experienced my epiphany and my mind was made up – somehow the prospect of having to design and write all that material was no longer daunting, it would represent no more than a hurdle that I could overcome. (Hundreds of programmes, numerous process tools and articles later, I can confess that sometimes the hurdles were pretty high – but I always cleared them because I knew that I would) continue reading