Sometimes in life you just feel good about something. You just know in your heart and soul if something will be good, bad or indifferent. It steers us in and out of relationships, it directs us, at times, that hard-to-define “feel good” factor.
The year 2008 has that feel to me and hopefully, without tempting fate, I say it looks like it will be a good year.
It appears to be a good year to discard baggage and things that make me feel uncomfortable – and I am not talking of my clothing straining under the pressure of a Christmas and New Year well eaten!
No I mean: “Out with the old and in with the new”. I had a spring clean of my house and office for the first time ever and, wow, what a shock! Bags of junk and old memories left the building, making me feel totally rejuvenated and born again (not quite to the point of clapping though!).
As usual, I hit the scales and after a momentary shock recovered to declare war on bad habits, as well as really fun ones such as wine and ciggies! I have directed all this energy into several areas, but refuse to call them “Resolutions”, as I always blow resolutions. No, in 2008, they are actual life changes and I will not fail as they are reasonably flexible and based on a philosophy of “moderation” rather than “abstention”, in other words everything will be subjective.
Just like many of you out there, I have seriously worked hard over the last few years and feel that we (my great partners and I) are really achieving something. Our watershed will be 2008, when our clients not only see what we have achieved for them, but totally understand our level and depth of commitment to them.
On a different tilt and although his politics are slightly right of Genghis Bush (sorry Khan), I often remember a quote from Ross Perot both businessman and would-be politician: “Most people give up just when they’re about to achieve success. They quit on the one-yard line. They give up at the last minute of the game, one foot from a winning touch”.
How apt is that and what more do we need to keep us going, to keep on striving for excellence and improvement? Well, actually nothing! That quote really speaks to me and I know that in my heart success comes to those who do the right thing for the longest time, without looking for a finishing line.
There may well be many challenges throughout 2008, but with a belief in what you do, coupled with integrity and your clients’ best interests, you will make it and end 2008 far better than you entered it.
If we never try, we can never fail, but what is the point of that? As business people and entrepreneurs we are helping shape one part of South African culture and we must dare, we must push, we must keep moving forward.
I will leave you with the words of one of the greatest businessman of all time, Soichiro Honda, a man who truly built an empire and a global brand. In it you can feel his humility as well as his determination. Yes, this is the year to throw out the baggage and move onward and upward!
“Many people dream of success. To me success can only be achieved through repeated failure and introspection. In fact, success represents 1% of your work, which results from the 99% that is called failure”.