These are some of the Rules

Here are some simple Rules in life.  Firstly if you don't go after what you want in life you will never have it. Of course that does not mean forsaking everyone else, or the important things in your life, but it means that you need to be relentless in the pursuit of that which you have set out to do.  You will get a lot further in your quest if you commit your time and effort to that which is meaningful and personally motivational to you. Secondly, if you do not ask the answer will always be no.  There are many sayings like nothing ventured nothing gained and if you don't ask you will never receive.  We need to pose questions of the type that signify new opportunities and new possibilities.  By not asking we are limiting the possibilities of success and we are opening up to the chances of misunderstanding and wrong presumptions.  Sometimes we need to pose the hard questions and although we expect a particular answer, we may be surprised to find that the answer contains new possibilities and opens new doors.  No one has ever truly succeeded with a goal or dream unless they have asked many questions of how and why and what if.  Thirdly if you do not step forward you will always be in the same place.  It is very easy to think that you are growing or moving to a better place, but all the while you are really standing still.  Once you start to move you will find that the view and the surroundings could change, or look very different.  They may not even be the rosy place that you expected but the fact is that you will be moving and whether slowly or quickly the question is rather the fact that momentum is gathering and you will be nearer to the goal you have set and not further.  It is not always easy to move because we are afraid, or concerned about the consequences, or what other may think, but the consequences of not trying are far harder to endure than even a failed effort.  And when in doubt try and try again.

Don't mistake a loner for loneliness??

Sometimes it is a somewhat harsh reality that everything in your life is a reflection of the choices you have made.  If you want a different result then you have to make a different choice.  But letting go of things is often a lot harder than it sounds.  Some people are strong enough to walk away and others are not.  Some possess the ability to be alone and appear to be able to remain independent or even seem content to be alone, without obsessing about having others around to ensure their happiness.  It may be that some are able to mange and cope with both the loneliness and the freedom of being alone and it may even present them with the opportunity to really dig deep inside, focus and realise that they have the capacity to love and cherish others without addiction or extreme dependency.  Their happiness is not affected per se by the involvement or influence of another.  This is a rare character and is probably daunting to most.  I suppose that there may be merit in the fact that such people can go about their life in the knowledge that they can love freely and openly when the right circumstances present themselves, because they are just content and happy in themselves and have learnt that the greater capacity and fulfillment of love exists in the place of sharing that love.  It is such people that may have a greater capacity to love because they take nothing for granted.  They make choices to love and care and they grow continually with confidence and a deep sense of appreciation for what they have.  Such people are to be admired and should not be judged,.  So no matter how hard it may seem to give up the comforts of "togetherness"for reasons of time, comfort or protection from fear or pain, consider a thought for the people that traverse the planet alone, but with a plan and dream to fulfil - and a massive ability to love.

It is surely around the corner!

We have all made mistakes and those that care about us, have either ignored those mistakes, or forgiven them fully and without a grudge.  We need the people that care to accept us when we have dark images about ourselves and when we feel "ugly"inside and every now and then we need to be lifted to new places and encouraged to believe that we remain beautiful, or good looking or smart. Who will restore us when we feel broken and make us feel whole again, who has the ability to lift us up and remind us how precious and important we are, despite guilt or disappointment, or uncertainty. How many times do we feel confused and unsure and the right words spoken and the caring attitude or demeanour makes all the difference - we can choose to be people like this and thus have the expectation that when our turn comes, we will receive the same type of treatment, or we can expect that we will be left disappointed and shattered.  You can pretend to be something other than who you are in these times, but ultimately you will run out of options, because that is not the authentic and genuine 'you'.  So hang on to those that truly believe in you and never give up on something you really want.  Even then, if you feel yourself outgrowing others and drawing closer to your real purpose, be sure that those that mean the most in your life will have the courage and determination to stay with you and see that your path is cleared from time to time, so that you can reach your dreams. When it comes to making a big change in your life, the fact is that you have to want it more than you fear it.  When that happens and the right people are with you, then the destiny you want is close at hand.

Tried and Tested

Surround yourself with people that force you to do better and the results can be very fulfilling and open up creativity, passion and growth.  But it is not always that easy to determine exactly who the people are that can make a difference to your life.  Some choose to surround themselves with as many people as possible, so that they can then gleam a little from each one, so as to assimilate as much knowledge or information.  Others try to stick close to one or 2 people who they really study and get to know well.  This enables them to mould their plans around such people.  However you chose to do so, the importance of seeking men and women of integrity, strength and success is well advised.  You need to look for a connection somewhere in a conversation with them, or make an effort to ask meaningful questions and then hopefully if they are the type of mentors that you think, they will open up and share their secrets with you.  Gender is not a factor in my opinion and we can learn from men or women equally. They key is the ability that they possess to make you strive to do better and to give fuel to your belief of change and development.  Age too should not be a factor as there is much to be learnt from older and younger business people.  However, I do think that experience and having gone through the up and down curve, can be useful because this will lead to a more balanced understanding of what life can throw at one over the years.  Be grateful for any interaction you have with people that push you and grow you because they are the ones that will have the greatest affect on your growth.  See every interaction as a chance to learn something more and use the pressure they exert on you to test your pursuit of excellence.

What a FEAT!

THE PERSON WHO SAYS IT CANNOT BE DONE SHOULD NOT INTERRUPT THE PERSON DOING IT.  This is is an ancient Chinese proverb and makes a lot of sense.  Having attended a splendid evening last night listening to ordinary (dare I say it) people like me who have chosen to challenge themselves and stretch their boundaries to new places in the name of adventure.  It is incredible how they search and strive for moments of peace and fulfilment and the lengths they are willing to go to to achieve incredible dreams.  Age is only a number and whether you are young or 60 makes little difference in the attitude displayed towards making these dreams a reality.  I have always enjoyed setting goals, but recently I have learnt that it is just as important to set a date to a goal. Every one of the people who spoke yesterday at the FEAT function set goals with a specific date in mind.  Whether it was running 10 comrades in 10 days or traversing 2000 miles down a river in a canoe, each person began with a dream.  They then began to dissect the dream and attach mini goals to the dream dealing with aspects like planning, sponsorships and training.  Each mini goal was ticked off and as the date of completion came closer they grew in their belief to accomplish the feat. We need be careful to support and encourage where possible those people, that are determined to reach their goals and there is nothing like being part of a winning team when all the hard work comes together and the victory is achieved.  Don't be afraid to set goals, which seem close to impossible, but make sure that you agree the date and terms with the right people and there is no doubt that you can overcome far more than you could ever imagine and have happiness in bucket (list) loads!!

The Struggle!

The Search is what everyone would undertake if he were not stuck in the everydayness of his own life.  To be aware of the possibility of the search is to be 'onto something' - not to be onto something is to be in despair.  That is why we need to be unafraid to be open minded, because our brain is not going to fall out - on the contrary as we open our thoughts, we will find that there is a place for our every day endeavours, the run  of the mill things we need to do, to get by and "pay the school fees of life" but then there is also time to interact with positive and trusted people, who can help us to open our minds to the possibilities that we can achieve.  They are the ones that put new ideas in our minds, help us to be creative and put us onto things which will eventually take us from dreams to reality.  In our business each new transaction begins with a property search and the information gleamed from this search puts us in a position to know what lies ahead in the process and where certain steps need to be taken.  It is time to conduct a search in our lives as well and to gather the necessary information and steps needed to accomplish your goals.  We need to know that there is always a choice available to us to put aside the mundane and grab hold of special possibilities, special moments and new beginnings despite the fact that they may be challenging and may test the definitions we have been taught, or the expectation that others may have set for us.  Those things are not relevant because they close our minds to the possibilities of better success and happiness.  The challenge is to direct our everydayness towards our goals, through the search and to get to new everydayness which is without despair and disappointment and filled with hope and purpose.

Stop the Clock!!

Life's clock is ticking.  I came upon this wonderful quote which states:

The clock of life is wound but once,
And no man has the power
To tell just when the hands will stop,
At late or early hour

[It is so true that what we have on this earth is temporary but it is so worthwhile to get up every day expectant of success and a future and to celebrate what we have - without arrogance or bitterness or regret]

To lose ones wealth is sad indeed
To lose ones health is more
To lose Ones soul is such a loss
As no man can restore

[Finances and money are such an invaluable tool to make our lives easier and more comfortable and there is nothing wrong with striving o be successful in money terms, setting goals and using the resources we have to make our lives more fulfilling, but our health and souls are far more precious.  we owe it to ourselves and those we care about to take care of our health end fitness and to be committed to filling our bodies with a balance of good food, exercise and a little decadence - in my case great coffee, fantastic wine and pizza!]

The present only is our own
Live love toil with a will
Place no faith in "tomorrows"for
The clock may then be still

[i like the fact that it speaks of toil and hard work should not be forgotten but the importance is doing what we are passionate and care about.  There is very little we can do about tomorrow and yet we worry and plan and fret about what could happen tomorrow - love is critical to our future but it starts with today so love what you do, love the people that matter around you and be open not only to receive love, but to give it as well]

This is why we should never give up on something that we really want.  We may not end up with a perfect life but we may have a happy one.

Set the Frequency to Reality

Occasionally when we have experienced a wonderful day, or the world around you came to a stop due to a special moment, or you have been on a trip somewhere, we can become swept up in the possibilities and forget the reality.  Take these lyrics, "decisions as I go, to anywhere I flow, sometimes I believe a time where we should know, I can't fly high, I can't go low, today I got a million, tomorrow, I don't know." A real reality check, because life can be messy and complicated and we are best to "stop crying like you're home and think about the show, we are all playing the same game." We all have a single life and a story to tell and live out.  We have decisions to make and risks to take - ultimately they are our decisions, good and bad, painful and joyous - "this is our call, we rise and we fall, dancing in the moonlight, don't we have it all?" Are we equipped to make decisions that affect the lives of others and can change lives forever.  Probably not, but we have help in friends and inspirational stories of success and adventure.  They are there to provide perspective and sensible advice in times of doubt and uncertainty.  They will inspire us to keep going and raise our belief in things yet unseen, but truly desired.  Reality is not there to convince us that the glass is indeed half empty, but it is there to remind us to check what is in the glass.  It is irrelevant sometimes whether the liquid of our lives is half full and half empty and either may be OK to survive but if the glass is even filled a little with poison, then the impact is far more pronounced and potentially devastating.  Don't knock reality because you wish to remain a positive person, even those accused of being pessimists and always seeing the negative, may be trying to seek the reality which will give them the motivation, guidance and self belief to take the next positive step. Embrace reality and she will pay you back with understanding, opportunities to learn and to feel the warm and the cold, so that when the success comes, it will taste as sweet as 'fig preserve'.

Round and round we go - making circles so that we grow.

I had a dream the other night about how we only get one life.  These are the words of a recent hit song, but they certainly hold true.  For me it is the 2 parts of this lyric that hold the most meaning. The first is the aspect of dreaming.  Whether we call it a bucket list, or a major goal, or a dream, the importance of setting things ahead of us to reach and attain are very important to our ability to cope with a long life.  Without these dreams, we will remain totally caught in the mundane nature of life, work and relationships.  They will not change and they will only repeat themselves over and over, because the nature of life and history is cyclic and returns constantly to the beginning point to start again.  Sometimes the circles of life have a larger circumference and it takes longer to get back to the same place and sometimes the circles are small and regular, but in either situation they remain cyclic. Dreams have the ability to change the nature of our circles and to deviate the circumference in such a manner that new circles may be formed.  The secret is to get the timing right, so that the circle continues to flow, but merely flows in a new circumference.  It is definitely possible to change your circumstances and dreams are the mechanism, to get you going.  The second part of the lyrics that struck me is that we only get one life - one giant circle.  It is expanding and contracting every day and it is a true privilege to be in our circle of life for another day.  Our circle expands and contracts as we go through life and in reality we may actually get close sometimes to having our bubble burst, or our circle closing.  We may not even be aware of it and this is why we need to seize every opportunity we get because what we make of our lives is so worth it, if we happen to reach a good old age.  We have the ability to push the boundaries of our circles of influence, by being in the right places, having the right relationships and creating the breadth and width of our happiness.  The object of life cannot be to go around in mini circles like a hamster on a wheel.  It surely means taking long moments of reflection, spending our time wisely and doing the things that make us truly happy.  This will allow us to finish the lyrics of the song and finish the sentence of our life ... "woke me up right after 2 stayed awake and ......".

Grenache

I was sitting with someone recently, as we were trying various bottles of wine.  Upon tasting the wine he immediately turned up his nose and stated that the wine had turned.  However, to a normal person the wine may well have been fine to drink.  I sat there without the knowledge to argue and although I thought he was being a rude, arrogant chop, I was not able to challenge his view because I did not have the expertise or the confidence to express an opinion.  The difference lies in the knowledge of a subject and how sure we are through experience, skill and knowledge of our opinion relating to a specific topic or relationship.  If we have the skill and knowledge then we need to share this, through our opinion or actions, but the key is the manner or attitude with which we deliver the message.  For no matter how much of an expert we are on a topic, the recipient will only really accept and take note of the facts you have expressed if the way in which you express the opinion, is well received.  Take my example, the manner in which the guy announced that the wine was turned was loud and arrogant and as a consequence he may very well have been correct, but no one liked him and thus probably discounted his announcement.  Had he however managed to get the message across with the right attitude he may well have not only convinced us at the table, but also we may have asked when the next bottle was served, what his opinion of the wine would be.  Sometimes we get frustrated because we know the answer to something clearly and we just want to blurt it out.  We are absolutely sure of the answer and that what we would suggest would definitely work and potentially make ourselves and others far happier, but unless we find the right words and the recipient receives the message with a manner of clear understanding, it may well be that we will have to repeat the story a number of times. However, most people simply give up because the reaction they get is not what they expected or wanted, and they simply doubt their ability to package a view or words, in such a way, that can be understood, so they simply back out of the conversation or relationship opportunity because their confidence has been broken.  Don't be the loud opinionated idiot that shouts the odds above all, but also, don't be afraid to voice a humble opinion, when you know you can contribute.  And above all have another glass of wine.

Mind over Matter

The answers you seek never come when the mind is busy, they come when the mind is still.  You need to try to learn how to activate your mind to answer nagging concerns and questions and you need to be focused on the thoughts you have and how they fit into the larger scheme of your life.   It is said by some that "stil bly is ook 'n antwoord" but that is only when we are uncertain or unable to answer quickly enough because our mind is not activated when having the conversation.  Keeping quiet in order to wait upon answers or to open up your thinking is a positive thing, but keeping quiet for the sake of not offending others, or for fear that you may say something wrong is not healthy to an active mind.  It may be that your mind is active for good reason, because questions lead to answers and answers lead to decisions, which in turn result in actions which can unlock growth and success and happiness.  We can only figure out the burning questions if we enter the framework of the discussion with an a positive and honest mind.  It is also pointless to face challenges with a mind made up, or closed to any alternatives or options.  Life needs to be tested and the answers we think that we have today may not be the same in a year from now.  We need to allow for slow change and some dreams to take a lot longer than we could ever hope or think and similarly for immediate gratification at some occasions, because all the options have been considered and the decision is worth pursuing despite the risk or pain or ramifications to others close to us.  It may not be all bad to have an over active mind and you certainly do not have to apologise for where it can take you.

Speak all is forgiven.

Last night I sat at a wine auction amongst the conversations and it was interesting that one of the winemakers was explaining how they came to name and present the logo on the wine and the story behind the bottle.  It was evident that a lot of time and effort had been spent in the presentation of the bottle and made me think that the way we present and communicate a message whether through a wine bottle or in a letter or as we speak to people, it is often just as important as the message itself. The reason for this is because assumptions are made from the way we speak about something and said to people who really care, will result in them taking in the message and acting upon it.  We have to be careful not to say too much because the more we say and the less we do exactly what we say, the more our integrity is diminished.  Some bottles of wine have a whole history of info on them, while this particular bottle that I was staring at had just the salient information.  Of course it had to contain the standard terms and conditions, but even this was put in a manner that was positive, upbeat and strategic.  This principle applies all over and so whether you are a multinational corporate company or a sole proprietor or a small partnership like I am, getting the right message across is vitally important to how others perceive you and your intentions.  I will learn from this that we need not bottle up the facts with those that we trust, but yet we still have a responsibility to choose what we say carefully and in a manner that is respectful, positive and invokes growth and confidence.

The Gift of Life

There are moments in our lives when we are striving for happiness and success and the goal is clear and visible and yet we end up taking another step, only to find that we are way back, from where we were.  We can berate ourselves for the stupidity of taking a wrong step and we can incur the "wrath" of those close to us, but the reality is that the step has been taken and we are in this place for a reason.  It may be that real clarity can only be attained at a place of crossroads, because you can then see all the directions to go and make the correct choice on which one to take.  Perhaps it may be that you needed input and perspective from another source to make the correct decisions in the correct manner and this could only be attained by challenging the circumstances, even if those circumstances result in some disappointment and confusion.  It may also be that you needed to learn a specific lesson and that this lesson may only be learnt by real reinforcement and perspective.  The distractions and concerns can only be dealt with effectively, if they are understood and fully committed to memory.  However, making a mistake may not be the worst as long as one realises that the positive things in your life and business are far more important than a silly comment or a minor emotional uncertainty.  The quicker you are able to bounce back and refocus will give an idea of how fast you have learn from your mistakes and moved forward, not on, but forward.  Whether you berate yourself, or get some well deserved flack, the true north is finding your way back to the path you have been set and starting to work towards its conclusion.  We need to stop looking at our current circumstances and how they can be fraught with errors, potential risks and diminishing prospects and we owe it to ourselves and the people that have walked a path with us and remained true and committed, to bury uncertainty, insecurities and lack of belief.  The real destination awaits and we need to get about claiming not necessarily the first goal we have, but rather the real goal, which will make our life the meaningful gift that it is.

Talk about Talking

How often do we feel that we want to say something, but something in our wonderful minds prevents us from making a statement, or commenting.  Sometimes we can kick ourselves later and other times we wonder why on earth we opened the edifice that is called our mouth, so wide.  My own definition of TACT is Talking Accurately without Consideration of the Truth.  There is no doubt that some have the ability to ask and raise conversation in a way that makes others squirm and we wonder how they could ask such things, but get away with it.  We all have moments when we are sure that the guy standing next to us is going to get slapped for the question he has just raised, but surprisingly he not only gets away with it, but it starts a good conversation.  Perhaps I myself may be guilty of hesitating to ask the hard questions, or making the snap comment, but then again being sensitive to listen and say less, can also be very valuable in relationships.  There is no point if several people bombard someone with personal and direct questions - there needs to be those that listen quietly and take in the information.  Especially in business, one needs to have both skills of mustering the courage to put yourself out there and be confident in what you want and how you believe you can achieve it.  You need to sell yourself and your abilities.  But remaining humble has many merits as well, because the ability to let others do the talking while listening to clues or information, is often even more relevant and pertinent to reaching a goal.  Let others do the talking and let your actions rather be the determining factor.  I guess that is why working in teams helps to secure the right result, because the best team combinations seem to make the best of circumstances, as they unfold.  You could encounter a loud and boisterous person who wants to be listened to and you may get a guy with limited speaking ability, who would rather listen to you pitching to him.  Take Franklin and Bash or Harvey and Mike - they tend to feed off each other to get the results.  The bottom line is to learn not just to manage your business, but to manage relationships, opportunities and communication to achieve maximum results.

Where will the Roads lead to?

The road to mastery is not for the meek.  Is it possible that you have been coasting along while the realms of creativity and success are within you.  Perhaps you are in a trance of distraction that is sucking the greatness from you.  Lets face it, it is easier to be a critic rather than a doer.  The credit always belongs to the man in the arena and not the one who points out from the stands, where a strong man stumbles, or where deeds could have been done better.  The dust and sweat and blood are signs of a fight and especially of effort.  Yes it comes with errors and shortcomings, but one day it will also represent deeds endeavoured enthusiastically, great devotions and spending your life for a worthy cause.  The highway to audacity is not for the faint at heart.  Whether you know the triumph of achievement or the failure of risks, which you are sure are worth it, at least you will be with the daring souls and not merely the cold and timid souls, who neither know victory nor defeat.  It is too easy to tear down those that dream and to condemn adventurers as selfish men, who have only a personal crusade inside them.  But perhaps it may be more reasonable to understand that the route to world class is a messy, chaotic, gorgeous, terrifying, fulfilling, brilliant, confusing ride, not easy, but easy is vastly overrated.  Yes it is wise to be sensible and yes it may be easier to plod along on a straight path with little deviation or risk, but just know that there are men and woman who may just be willing to take a chance and end up at a new destination, which may surpass the standards and the expectations which they had before.  And when they do arrive, it is best not to then look back with green eyes of envy and say I could have, should have, would have, but rather to applaud the strength, resolve and dedication to success.

Expect to have Standards!

Sometimes we just need to take a moment to think.  We can become embroiled in the business of life, the obstacles of work, or the difficulties of relationships.  We can become over committed to a situation and even though commitment is very often needed to make a situation a reality, it can be that we are so focused on a singular result that we slip away from reality and into a world of dreams and fairy tales.  We may need to be brought back to reality or Terra Firma as my grandfather used to say and gain a little perspective into what the difference is, between standards and expectations, when it comes to our relationships and business endeavours.  Expectations are very often linked to assumptions of how people should react, what we think they should do in a given situation and how we would expect them to treat us.  But realistically our expectations hold us back in the end, because we will spend more time in the end picking up the pieces of misunderstandings, unfulfilled dreams and missed connections, while we would be far better off to focus our attention on standards which are measurable and achievable and can help us to attune ourselves to the realities of our circumstances and to forge genuine and meaningful relationships, rather than open ended stabs at what may or may not be the best, in our situation.  When we chose to drop our expectations, possibilities open up to us, some of which may not be the best for us, our relationships, or our business.  However it is almost without fail that if we drop our standards then trouble in a variety of forms is not far away.  Our standards need to be maintained and developed and it may take time and a whole lot of effort, but once you have determined the standards you wish to maintain then failure to meet them is no longer an option.  You will need to make decisions which will seem impossible and expectations will be eating at you from various sources, but if you are committed to the standards, then you will find a way to make them happen no matter what the price.

Tunnel Vision

Tunnel Vision is defined as the tendency to focus exclusively on a single, or limited objective, or view.  It can sneak up you, especially as you become more focused on a goal or dream, which you are entirely sure in your mind is possible and achievable.  Yet as you tunnel, you focus into this objective and you may easily lose sight of the many and varying aspects of life and that as your goal begins to come good for you, so too it may have an effect on others around you.  It may even be that as your focus is more direct, so too the other people around you, may adjust or change their own lives and focus and this can influence their decisions such that in turn, they realise that it is in their own interest to pursue dreams and goals, in another way or form.  In essence we need to be focused on our goals, because they will never be achieved if they simply remain ideas on a paper, or words uttered.  There is action required and it needs to be specific and purposeful.  However, we need to have intermittent times when we open our goal and vision to others that are important and give them the chance to either participate in the dream, or at least to understand in what way this vision may affect them.  We also need to listen to how they react when asked about the vision and whether they have truly captured the essence of it and support the dreams for the future.  The reason that it is important to remain caring about others is because there times when the tunnel becomes very dark and foreboding as life challenges us and makes us know that we are merely a small part in a very big picture and during those times it is the people that you have involved in your vision and plans that will be there to shine the torch on your circumstances and keep the side of the tunnel from falling in around you.  The final important thing to remember about tunnel vision is the word 'vision'.  The tunnel starts and ends with a  vision - you need to have one to be able to enter into the challenge ahead of you, but while you are in the tunnel, you need to remember that there is another end, which is projecting light and even if at times the tunnel is dark and from around the corners you lose sight of the light, you can always trust that the opening at the end will be welcoming and fulfilling, if you keep trying and stepping forward each day.

DANGER ... DO NOT HALT!!

Life is a risk!  Every venture and plan has risk that is for sure.  There are obvious things that we can do to negate or manage the risk.  There are processes and systems and precedents you can follow, but ultimately it the courage to succeed and the willingness to set a course that you will not deviate from, that distinguishes moments of comfort, from great feats.  There is little point in putting together a plan or dream which contains very little in the sense of progress, victory and happiness.  It makes sense going into any plan, to have tried to mitigate the risks and considered the various permutations, but if you are in a team, you will not always know exactly how the other person will react in the same situation, or whether they actually have a different plan.  As long as the destination is the same, it is healthy to have the ability to be somewhat flexible and with the knowledge that there is a solution for every problem, but it may not be that your solution is the right one for the team as a whole.  Manage the failure and laugh at the face of adversity because it only temporary.  Take your mind off your own concerns and look a little wider to some of the folks that are around you and try to help them succeed.  See what they need and what they bring to the party and you will draw hope and encouragement form others around you.  In short make sure that your definition of RISK is a REALISTIC INTENTIONAL SENSE of KNOWING.  Realistic in that there is little purpose in reaching for a dream which far exceeds your abilities, but climbing towards something that is almost unattainable is actually well within your reach.  Intentional in that you plan and commit to a vision, or plan, or goal.  Sense is to remain positive notwithstanding adversity and no one has ever succeeded without a positive approach or steps.  And finally Knowing as when you truly know that something is right, then there is little point in holding back, but rather to get on and at it!

A new week a new dimension.

A mind that is stretched by a new experience can never go back to its old dimensions.  There are times in our lives when our creativity and capacity to grow and achieve goals is heightened by a new experience or a new point of reference.  We perhaps come into a new knowledge about our business, or career and we become determined to take it further, so that our picture expands and our confidence to succeed grows. This may be as a result of realisations about our business, or a better understanding of our surroundings.  It may be that we receive information, which allows us to understand our industry better, or it may be through hard work and dedication, that we finally crack through into the place, where we need to operate from and to grow exponentially.  It does not mean necessarily the makings of a giant corporation, but it does mean improvement in service, structure, reporting and information.  It means giving clients and customers the thing that they want most from the experience and in so doing, that they will connect or create opportunities for others to come into contact with your product, or business.  Simple things like using the tools and skills you have developed or learnt and turning them into profit accumulating assets.  It means that we learn to manage our time far more efficiently and optimising the number of hours in a day to penetrate the industry.  It means not necessarily spending as much time as possible staring at all the mountains, in order to achieve, but rather taking a step over the first then the second and then the third stone in front of us, until we do finally scale the mountain.  Don't be afraid to focus on the exciting and the mundane parts of your business.  Make time for the routine and daily admin matters, because they will ultimately develop discipline and good habits which are needed to run an organisation successfully.  Find positive and necessary distractions to make the days manageable and exciting, and never deviate from the belief that with the right team, a whole lot of attitude and a passion for success, the chances are, that your dimensions are about to be expanded beyond your belief.

Lets try to commit Harakiri!

I am not one to criticise SA constantly because I live here, make my living in this country and do not think that there is a better place in the world, but sometimes it becomes a bit much and surely we need to draw a line somewhere.  Between the fact that we had no electricity for more than 24 hours because on an undetermined fault at a local electricity box and despite the phone calls and reporting the problem the technicians, are working on the problem.  This sort of constant non performance at local authority level is driving the country into the ground.  There just has to be more accountability and better maintenance and service delivery.  We are all sick and tired of the basics not working.  To make matters worse I then had to endure strange and inconsistent judging at a local ballet festival and left me thinking again how it is that basic standards and integrity need to be at the heart of this country, but it can never be, because right to the top of leadership in this country, there is far too much corruption and downright dishonesty.  So why would there not be the same in every area of society from policing, to business and general mores (customs).  No sooner had I endured my afternoon and thought that a positive gym session would rectify my negative thoughts, I then had to suffer the total embarrassment of South Africa producing another string of firsts at the World Cup opener, and all for the wrong reasons.  Not only did we concede more points than in any other world cup encounter, and suffer a loss in our opening match with the most capped and experienced team ever assembled, but we manged to do it against Japan who have only ever won 1 match in world cup history and that against Zimbabwe.  We better be grateful that they are not in our pool, or another upset could be on the cards.  And to make it worse for me was that Japan has an arrogant Aussie coach, who somehow gets them to play confident rugby against us.  What more will I see!  I know that rugby is merely a game and lights do go out elsewhere in the world and judges do make mistakes, but this is all too common in our country.  It is time to take a stand and be the incredible nation of winners, to stop raising irrelevant issues like apartheid and quotas and previous disadvantages and to start raising the standards of this rainbow nation one small step at a time.  Eventually we will find that all the little stones that we climb over and get over, will result in us eventually traversing a mountain.  And no more sushi for a few days!!

Seconds out ... Round number...

You can run but you cant hide.  This was a saying in boxing to indicate that you could try to stay away from your opponent, but eventually he would corner you and hit you.  Well a certain Floyd Mayweather may well have dispelled this theory to the world, because even against the greatest opponents he just seldom seems to get hit.  This led me to thinking that maybe this saying need not necessarily be a defining situation in our lives.  We are all confronted at times with problems and very difficult times and decisions and we say that inevitably, we must stand and face them to conquer them, but what if one could settle for staying away from confrontation and rather focus on avoiding conflict and a whole lot of pain and rather put yourself in a position where you can exercise your abilities and skills in a positive way and one in which the environment is positive and yet challenging, demanding yet successful and dynamic yet flexible.  I do believe that if we spend enough time focused on the important things, like doing our homework well, knowing what the obstacles and challenges might be and being dedicated to significance instead of purely on success and profit, then at the end of the day the success will follow,  A reputation for integrity, honesty and willingness to work hard, are all essential tools for making us a better fighter in the ring, but it does not imply that we need to knock out every opponent.  Battles may be won in a variety of ways in business, as in life and we need to use all the experience, skill and training to ensure victory. However, first and foremost, we must want to win and never give up on the possibilities of going head to head and coming out on top.  When you're in a 3 by 3 ring fighting for your life, you need to be able to adjust, change plans and adapt to the challenge in front of you.  You need to stay in control because an angry, bitter fighter will not have the edge in the key rounds.  Rememneber to fight each round and fight to the end - you cannot give up on a dream, or goal, or a victory once you have set your mind to winning.

What does Trip Advisor Say?

New People, New Energy and New Surroundings.  These things tend to herald a new season after a lot of testing and consideration and sometimes equal a new chance at happiness.  We should not be afraid of these things because they can be truly positive.  We have a chance to interact daily with a number of people, some we have no choice as they may sit next to us, or occupy the same office space or classroom.  Others pass by us through meetings or casual interactions and some, being family, we get to interact with whether we want to or not. None of these interactions are bad or negative - they can in fact be just the opposite, but the reality is that they become comfortable and habitual.   There may be a new opportunity to connect with someone that you have not seen for a long time or that you meet at a function or event.  Take some time to connect and find out about the person, who they are and don't be afraid to ask questions that are relevant and of interest.  You may not always have an instant friendship and the goal in life as one gets older is not the number of friends you have but the quality of the friendships.  Yet still there is much to learn from others and you never know the impact they may have, or the opportunities they may present, or even the doors that they could open.  Interactions like this mean very often that there is a new energy and a bit of excitement about.  Creativity flows and potential sits in wait for us to exploit and take hold of.  The energy I am talking about is fresh ideas and directing the energy time we have, to the passions that make us alive.  It is very easy to slip into a daily routine of ensuring that our immediate surrounding and life are secure, comfortable and with as little risk as possible.  But this is not always the place where great goals and dreams are established, or even implemented.  You may need a change of surroundings to ensure that happiness can follow.  I'm not advocating selling up and moving to Europe necessarily, but what works for you and your closest family, or in business simply making some considered changes (maybe even a plant in the office) or taking time out to do something other than work, to open your mind to what you have and how you can improve it.  Time away could help to bring your goals and dreams closer to your purpose and should they collide, the happiness may blow your mind.

Step it Out!

While many people are waiting for an escalator, winners know that the key to success is to climb the stairs. There is, it is said, no escalator to success.  Most people are looking for the easy way to success or getting there in life.  If you are impatient like me then you tend to believe that every day may, should and must be the day when the rest of your life can begin and that your ship will come in.  Sometimes you may even feel that the world owes you this one thing that you want so dearly, but yet every day you continue to climb stairs that seem to go on forever. The better road is one of small and slow steps, day after day planning and thinking clearly about where you want to go and how to get there.  It is best to enjoy the process, because that is what it is.  You need more than a single goal, you need many and a series of targets to achieve, before the journey is complete.  Sometimes the goals comes fast and easy, but mostly they take effort and a willingness to endure the process, without backing away from the challenge.  It was Mohamed Ali that said, "Impossible is just a big word thrown around by small men who find it easier  to live in the world they have been given than to explore the power they have to change it.  Impossible is not a fact.  Impossible is not a declaration. Its a dare.  Impossible is potential .  Impossible is temporary.  Impossible is nothing."  No matter where you find yourself, you can accept that the flight of stairs continues ahead of you and the most pointless thing that you can do is to stop and turn back down the stairs.  The only way is to take another step tomorrow towards the top of the stairs and enjoy the process  as you go.  Besides going upstairs will make you fit, it will develop your body and it will afford you the opportunity to grow.  In the process it is not the mountain that we conquer, but ourselves.  A certain Mark Zuckerberg said, "The biggest risk is not taking any risk.. In a world that is changing really quickly, the only strategy that is guaranteed to fail is not taking risks". We are living in those dynamic times and it is absolutely essential to have a good strategy in place, if we are going to achieve the visions and goals that we have for our lives (note our lives) - we must be vigilant about the changes happening around us and we must adapt our strategy accordingly.  A clear but flexible strategy hugely improves your chances of success.

If you want to be happy for the rest of your life...

We may feel sometimes that we don't have the best life, or compared to others, that our life is not that rosy but the reality is that we are not entitled to have a good life, because of our birth right, our parents station in  life or the colour of our skin.  We cannot demand that we are to be revered, or held in high esteem simply because of a family name or a job that we may have been entrusted with.  No matter who were are, we need to earn the right to be successful, or famous, or a mentor, or leader. However we do have the right to be happy and even though our life may not seem perfect by any stretch and though there are times when all about us feels like it is conspiring to work against us, the possibility still exists to lead a happy life.  We need to make sure that we seek the things that make us happy and go after those things with everything we have.  Many of these things can be found in very basic areas of life and this is why celebrities and people in positions in leadership often fall short, because they loose sight of the very basic things in front of them and choose to make everything a media statement or sham, purposed to satisfy the expectation of the media and general public, instead of holding onto the simple truths that exist.  Relationships are precious and should be nurtured and those that are important should not be taken for granted.  Take our president who is supposed to have a relationship with the people of this country but yet he chooses constantly to disrespect the people with stupid statements and actions which are unacceptable.  Hence he has no chance of making an impact and I am pretty sure that one day he will realise that he strayed far from making the people happy and serving them well, because he thinks entirely abut himself.   Celebrities are famous for this and so too many people in positions in business.  That is fine and good, but such behaviour makes them stray far from happiness.  I reckon there is only a few things in life that make us truly happy and if we can identify them and spend time with them and putting our best time into them, then the reward will be far more lasting and significant than a fake smile or a cold attitude. To actually lead a happy life is far more important than what the world's perspective is of how they see our happiness.

Life is Life - La La la la la

Sometimes things happen out of the blue and when we least expect it.  We can be prepared for a particular set of circumstances and then only suddenly to find that the unexpected has happened.  Ultimately, our lives are following a certain course and much has been destined from the beginning and yet we may have actually just not seen that the reality is there in front of us, even though it has been there the whole time. We may have been distracted or unable to make things a reality because of the world's objects and designs, but the truth is that life has continued on its path and we are needing to continue towards our future even if it contains some twists and turns and more than a few rocky bumps.  You may have time to wonder why certain events in your life happened and more often than not, you can pose the question of what exactly was I thinking when that happened, or why did take that course at the time.  Some decisions are a blurr and others have been properly thought through and yet still may not have yielded the change or effect we were hoping to gain. Life gives us more than a few chances to grab hold of the right choices and still to stay within the parameters of our destiny, but without being predictable.  Life is exciting and fascinating and that is why we need to make the most of it because the only time that it is boring and miserable is when we have made choices which result in us getting too far from the path which we have been given and life has to shake us back to where it needs us to be.  When you can hardly see the wood for the trees, is usually a reminder to refocus and re-calibrate our hard drives to the positive and good things we have.  This is the time to hold onto the spark and flavour of life and make the most of the precious moment  we have every day.

To Veg or not to Veg? That is the Question

Life offers many distractions.  For some, distraction takes the form of work and for others, it is exercise away from work.  DISTRACTION is a Deliberate Interest in Something Truly Real And means Constantly Trying to take an Intentional Opportunity to Neutralise our stress.  So whether it is work that offers this, or arts and crafts, or a hard workout, or reading or even watching the box,  it is very healthy to have a good distraction.  How much time do we allocate to this distraction and should we be concerned when the distraction starts to occupy more of our day than our money earning time. Well the fact is that some of the best business people I know and those that I have read about, are able to achieve more in a few hours of dedicated and specific intentional work, than most of the population does in a 12 hour a day slog.  Consequently, they also have far more time to explore their distractions and this tends to become a feeding arena for more positive interactions, thoughts and relationships and this in turns makes them more successful.  Sometimes in business we can become so concentrated on spending as much time slogging away at the files on our desk, when in fact a few files and a few good meetings or relationships may yield more productive and lucrative work which generates more income than all the numerous files we slog at on a daily basis.  It does however take a bit of guts to see the potential and actually follow through on not filling up your day with as much time at the office as you can.  It is wise sometimes to take time to do a few of the admin tasks and the less exciting things like surfing for new ideas and new opportunities, taking time to visit clients or industry related partners or even doing a bit of house cleaning and changes to the brand or website. Make time for your positive distractions and they will yield fruit in a variety of ways.  Importantly, enjoy the time you have away from the daily grind and be passionate about your whole day not just the stuff that brings in the bacon.

Let the Love Pour Down

I came upon an interesting piece about relationships relating to the way we see more flaws in people as we get to know them better and we tend to point out all the things that could be wrong with them in our minds and in our quiet times.  When we see people in difficult situations and how they tend to act and react it gives us an idea of whether we can work with such a person or whether we can interact with them or befriend them and this forms the basis for the type of relationship we are able to have with them.  It is certainly true that when times are tough we tend to see more of the bad than good and we react sometimes to the circumstances and have little in the form of sympathy or patience, because we too are experiencing a tough situation.  But the most important relationships may be tested by this, but they also give us a chance to make the tight choices.  Giving the perfect answer in any discussion is seldom achieved, especially where emotions are concerned, but with those we love, we need to look a little deeper to make sure that the qualities of the person are still to be found.  Patience and kindness, intentional care and affection and an unwavering willingness to stay committed and supportive.  These are not always easy qualities to spot and let alone to maintain but the ability to see beyond darkness and pain and still to feel like your day could not be complete without the interaction, or connection, or relationship is usually an indicative sign that the love and human nature is there to stay.

Start Downloading

Sometimes it is good to sit and recount stories of the past to listen to music for download, so that you can create a playlist of songs.  Each song creates a memory and whether you love the songs for the artist, the moment you first heard the song or the lyrics which have a particular meaning, it is wonderful to have the ability to spend time away from the stress of everyday life and just take in the moment for a while.  There must have been millions of songs written and which we have heard over the years and yet some just tend to remain fixed to our memory for some reason.  Imagine if one could sit and go through every song and click download for each one we like.  What is the meaning of this and where am I going with this piece.  Apart from the fact that I love music, the songs made me realise that we have so many memories in our minds and our brain has an endless ability to download information, without repeating the same song twice.  Therefore, we need to take note of times when a memory is triggered and how that memory may have an impact on our lives.  We can learn from past experiences and use them to create habits, which are lasting and successful.  It takes time and a measure of discipline to have the patience to extract the life lessons from our memories in the same way that it takes time and effort to download hundreds of songs, but the more we remember keys aspects of our success and the good times we have enjoyed, the more chance we have of repeating the exercise and regaining and retaining those habits of success and positive results.  This will help us to go forward and not be stuck with negative habits and questions that raise doubt and uncertainty.  Let the music help you to remember that you can and should be a success and if you need to delete a song or two in favour of tried and tested classics, then do so.  Use old and new songs, don't stay in one genre, but try new things and remember to add success to your favourites.  Once you have a playlist that works, you can press repeat and try to live your top 100 every day.

Saved by the Rain

Can we really be saved by circumstances, or by a moment of complete change.  A torrential downpour will probably keep us from going out to run, but will  a soft drizzle have the same effect.   I guess it may depend on whether you waken to a hot day with rays of hope, or whether the day starts murky and cold.  Does the change need to be so radical that it keeps us away or sparks a significant change, or prevents a certain mistake, or can it be that even a slow drizzle can have the effect that on a given day it leads to a decision to change.  We need to aware that not all change comes with a bolt of lightening and gust of wind.  It can also start slowly and peacefully and like a dripping tap, or a nagging generator, it just keeps going, until it has the desired effect.  Sometimes in life we need to make split decisions and there is little or no time to think about the consequences,  but you just know that you have to act and be present when the decision is made.  A certain boldness takes over you and as the hour approaches you realise that you are needed to be strong and consequential in your decisions.  I have also found though that many decisions get made almost as an ante climax, they merely pass from one situation into another and there is little spark or flame, but it is still of utmost importance that you are present for the moment, because the ramifications and results are just as key.  It is great to be part of a sudden happening and there is all the excitement and energy and passion, but we need to not lose sight of the subtle moments, for they too can be savoured - they allow us to linger a little longer and to savour the process and how we got to the decision in the first place and they instill a time of reflection and learning which is often lost when the big bang hits and sparks fly.  I suppose the difference may lie in maturity and perhaps even in the ability to find perfection, bit by bit and not as an act of youthful exuberance.  Be patient in the quest for the right decision and don't be disappointed if the rain sets in for a while and you have to sit it out until the sun breaks through.

Having the right Philosophy

Having passed into spring a few days ago and the euphoria of a new season beginning, we need to be careful about the last cold front of the year coming in and causing havoc in the camp.  It can sometimes have the effect of ruining a lot of expectation and promise of a new season and leave us questioning whether we are ready for the next chapter to begin, or whether we still need to stay back a little longer to learn lessons from the previous chapter in our lives.  Sometimes we think that we have navigated ourselves to a place where we are ready to take on a new adventure and we are confident that we can achieve success in our endeavours, because we have dealt with the various uncertainties and challenges and we have the support and experience to be able to go boldly forward, but then fear or an unexpected turn of events comes and we find that we are back to a place where we are not entirely confident of our ability, or that the goal or dream is in fact that which we are meant to endure.  Life has many ways of bringing us back to reality, like being fit and ready for an event and having done all the hard work and training and then being faced with an illness or condition that leaves us barely able to get up and we wonder, if all the hard work and effort will be undone.  It takes us a few days to realise that we should never think that we are in control of life completely, but actually we are at the mercy of the plans and purposes of our maker and we are best to be humble and grateful for every opportunity we have to enjoy life and that we are not above, or better than those we interact with and serve.  But we also realise that in this humility, we need to still be willing to draw strength from the time we have spent sharpening our sword and learning the skills that we need to be able to complete each task we have been given and that a minor setback or a stumbling block close to the finish line should not distract us from the prize, especially one which is so worth it, that it makes any minor setback or curve ball seem minuscule compared to the fruit and result which lies in waiting at the finish line.  Make sure to persist through these times, because many have given up barely metres before the finish and have lost out in accomplishing the destiny that they are meant to have.  Be aware of the challenges, but not afraid of them, have your eyes open to the risks, but only close your eyes to pray, look straight at the task ahead and take in all the surrounding and peripheral aspects, so that when you can see the finish through the many obstacles, you will have the resolve to press on to finish well.

Let your world SPRING to life!

Spring has Sprung!  It is the start of a new season and the message is to make this a time of change and to begin a new chapter, notwithstanding the challenges we face on a daily basis.  We need to re-adjust our thinking and begin to fly like a kite, soaring above the challenges we have to endure.  It is time to jump in and through puddles, not hiding from difficulty, but rather embracing it and getting our feet a little wet both literally and figuratively.  New opportunities are close and those that are willing to put a foot into the pond, will find themselves ahead of the game.  Make a wish on dandelions and do not be afraid to be bold in your endeavours.  This is a time for bravery and not to lie down amidst corruption and strife and violence.  We need to strip away all the comforts of what might have been and get back to basics, like running barefoot, so as to experience the true feeling of freedom and passion and drive towards a new goal for this spring season.  We owe it to ourselves to reach for the stars for they will not come to us.  We will need to reach out to that which is holding us from a marvelous future and pass through it on the way to a new success.  It is time to imagine once again that there is and can be a future and with creative thinking and loads of tenacity, the goals we set can begin to be achieved.  While it remains a time to be responsible and to tread gently among the thorns of society and uncertainties and detractors, who cannot believe that that you will have the courage to go forward, into new adventures, it is also the right time to sleep soundly and make sure that the distractions of daily life are contained and  only serve to teach us lessons and give us the indication and confidence, that we can and will succeed in the future.  So the bottom line this spring is to dream big, to forgo your negative thoughts and to partner with the right people and the right team this spring.  Look for a team and especially personal relationships which are built on understanding the needs of clients and friends, and a growing love for the chance to be free to explore, expand and deliver the best service, results and success you have yet experienced.  

Looking too Deeply can be a Blurr

Sometimes what you are looking for, comes when you are not looking at all.  And how often do we look deeply for something and yet it always seems a finger tip away.  This is so often true and in so many ways.  We tend to try to make sure that we control circumstances and sometimes we are so desperate for a particular outcome, that we place too much emphasis on it, or push so hard that the outcome simply becomes less possible, than we could ever imagine.  How many times do we try to make a result from a particular set of circumstances believing with great and good intentions that this outcome is right for ourselves and very often for someone else dear to us.  We become completely unbending in our pursuit of a particular result and we make judgement calls and presumptions to suit the result, that we so dearly want.  But in my experience this tends to result in the worst possible result because any thing that does not fall into the thinking we have constructed and decided, will seem like a complete failure.  This usually leads to major frustration and feeling that you have tried so hard and yet you deserve a better result.  But by trying to project your own desires and needs onto someone else or onto a set of results that you wish to happen, you will encounter resistance from the person and life itself because it means that it is not their will, but yours which is being forced onto them.  They (life) will resist and hold back and question your motives and you give them the opportunity to rethink their next move and what lies in their future.  It is for this reason that one should not easily make a decision based on what you believe to be the best result, but rather focus more on the situation you are facing and make a decision based on the facts of the given situation.  In other words, focus on what you are working towards and what you are seeking to achieve and let the rest of the surrounding circumstances fall into your ambit rather than reaching for them and hanging onto them to the detriment of yourself and others.  Depending on the type of person that you are, you may be severely tested to get through times like this, when your whole heart and mind and being "knows" what the best result is, but it is almost a guarantee that in that situation, if you try to enforce the decision, it will be withheld from you for longer than you can imagine or backfire for good.  You will need to stay true to the basics and maintain a positive attitude throughout and maybe (but not likely) one day you will see the result that you wanted almost as surely when you least expect it.

The worry Gene.

Why are compelled to open our mouths, when we know that keeping quiet, offers the path of least resistance.  Why do feel the urge to try to maker things better, when really they cannot be fixed.  It seems to be human nature that dictates to us to make comments and statements when we are better suited, to hold our tongue and enjoy life as it may be at the time.  I for one am one of those people that cannot stop trying to make things better and without a doubt I end up the majority of times making matters worse.  It stems from our own inadequacy issues, when we think that we are not saying or doing the right things and we tend to interpret every comment that comes our way, in a personal light.  The consequence is very little or no sleep and worrying about things which in any event we can't control or can't accomplish.  We tend to justify why we are so persistent or why it so important to tackle a potential problem but at the end of the day, the problem will still come if it is meant to be and whether we try to run out and meet the problem head first, or wait for it to enter at the correct time;  the fact is that the problem will still makes its way to the point of intersection with your life.  Only a choice to handle something differently, or in another way, can prevent the problem from having the same influence on our lives whether we want it or not. Some would say that the inevitable should remain that way and no amount of ranting and raving will produce a different result.  It takes a change of attitude to really get this aspect right and we need to be willing to exercise qualities of patience and control and more patience.  If you are like me, then patience is a very rare thing to have and those that exercise very little of it, will always tend to feel under pressure or worried, or negative.  The patience to accept what you cannot change is a precious commodity and some can easily make the required adjustments while others will have another sleepless night, wondering what is next and which problem should be tackled next or what will come from today's actions.

Tour de Life Finale

It is impossible for me not to reflect on those people and have a belief that I can accomplish a purpose of substance, no matter what the obstacles are.  I can become the man I feel that I should be and have the relationships and friendships that add value to my life.  You can close your eyes to the things you don’t want to see, but you can’t close your heart to the things you don’t want to feel.  You have to do what is right for you, because no one else is walking in your shoes.  There needs to come a point in every great leaders life, when he stops gathering information and learning from others, when he stops relying on his ability to copy others or hang in the shadows of other leaders, a time when he will rise up and be more than a follower, but a conqueror, a man of strength and power and when the decisions he makes are bold and definitive, but designed to go forward and upward to a higher goal.  It is not age or looks or charm that can get us there, it is attitude, gratitude and a whole lot of belief.  Taking a trip like this is like getting a diagnosis from a doctor that you are healthy after waiting for some time on the diagnosis expectantly.  It means that you can flourish and put your life into perspective and no longer need to wait to see if the outcome will come on its own, you can actually take steps to advance and take off layers of resistance, uncertainty, fear, caution and replace them with meaningful attributes like love, and confidence and fortitude.  I am truly grateful for the chance to disconnect from the day to day habits we face and plug into a new season of positive lifestyle, so that the coming months can yield fruit as never before.

Tour de Life 5

The next thing that truly fascinated me was the equipment as we traversed areas, which I did not think possible on a bicycle, we went up rocks and through Mopani thickets, we put the equipment under enormous pressure, but yet very few bikes broke.  This reminded me that in business as in life we can endure many challenges and come out from them having been tested, but never defeated.  It may take a day, it may take hours or years, but what is meant to be, will always find its way.  The outcome is as important as the journey and we are best not to spend too much time worrying about either.  We should celebrate the journey enjoying its challenges and setbacks, we can be grateful for tough times to provide a comparison and reference for when it goes much better, we owe it to ourselves to run headlong into battle, to secure our future and our dreams and we need to share the moments with the right people, even if they are neither popular, or perfect.  Along a route like the Tour de Tuli you can many times stray off line and find yourself needing to make your own path not directly following the person in front of you.  You will definitely have places where you don’t stay upright and you fall down, because of the terrain, the decision to follow someone else, or simply because the track may be too difficult.  But the secret lies in the following:  what defines us is how well we rise after falling.  What do we do when we have gone down the wrong path – accept defeat or try again?  We learn from the fall and make sure that the next time we pick another gear, or a different path.  This is the same in life.  We need to be able to rise and be better than before, we need memories to remind us and pain from a fall to help us focus on the next time we are faced with a similar challenge.  I met men and woman of real character and I was humbled by the fact that all riders endured the challenge.  I sat with men of adventure that have traversed the globe in various forms and against many odds have achieved their dreams.

Tour de Life 4

Sometimes when you are in a dark place you think that you’ve been buried, but actually you’ve been planted.  As the riders started to come together at the base camp, it was amazing to see all the different industries and people represented.  Some rode in on bikes and cars and some flew in with luxury Jets, some looking ultra-casual, modern and with it (obviously me) and others bedraggled and somewhat out of shape.  A vibe was growing and I realised how important it is to have that in an organisation.  There needs to be a buzz and excitement in what you do, a sense of anticipation and a willingness to listen to the heartbeat of the events of life.  True networking can take place in an environment such as this and relationships rely on this to survive and grow.  We should never be afraid to go where you’ve never gone and do what you’ve never done, because both are necessary to have what you’ve never had and be who you’ve never been.  It is difficult to make that very first move thinking that you may fail, but imagine how your life can change if you take the leap and the person responds and says yes to your suggestion or idea.  What follows is passion and an energy to build something great.  You may not yet be at the place you want to be but there is a connection and trust is formed and relationships are built in moments like these.  The riders are all allocated into groups and some guests were completely unknown to each other.  This made me think of how often we come across opportunities which we look at and yet we are so cautious, because we do not know the industry or the people or the intricacies of the job.  We rather hold back and years go by without achieving our real purpose. Sometimes we prefer to keep our feelings to ourselves, because it is hard to find someone that truly understands us.   But when we do we need to exchange ideas and goals and build on them together so that we can get closer to our true purpose and the reason we have for living a complete and fulfilled life.  Both friends and acquaintances can make a huge difference in our lives for the reasons that they have been brought across our path.  Sometimes they are there to provide the negatives and reasons why we may not succeed, sometimes they bring reality to a situation and other times they are there as encouragers and the mentors that provide us with the belief and drive to reach for our goals.  People are special no matter what and we need to remember to be the same to others as we would want them to treat us.

Tour de Life 3

I have to say that I felt somewhat ashamed to be driving through the towns and seeing the decay and wonder if the powers that be, even notice these things or take the time to reflect on how important leadership can be.  I would rather surround myself with people who make a lot of mistakes but have no problem admitting to them, than to surround myself with people who think they make none.  Mistakes can be worked on and with the right attitude that can be corrected.  My own heart skipped a beat to think that although I have made mistakes they have not been of a nature that I still have an opportunity to get them right.  We need to open our hearts and minds to our lives and fix mistakes we have made and not look back and say ‘I should have fixed it but now it is too late’.  As we crossed the border into Botswana it made me think of crossing from one season of life to another.  It may be a small river or the mighty Limpopo, but once you are in a new season, we need to make sure that we make the most of the experience.  We can with certainty leave behind the past and start looking for opportunities.  You may see the opportunities from afar, but until you cross the border and actually take a step towards a new beginning, you will always have to comment from afar.  For some the border crossing might be a new business venture or a new way of conducting your business, it might be to change financial policies and structures within your office, it may be to step away from the daily grind and truly become entrepreneurs in a land of opportunity.   As the passport control stamped my passport I resolved to start making something from the foundation I have created, to do justice to the effort that has been put in to date and not to stay on the safe side of the border.

Tour de Life 2

My first departure point was relating to the guys that I travelled with and the fact that they are from different industries entirely, but yet have the same fears and concerns about the future of our country.  The same questions about poor leadership, corruption and dishonesty at all levels of government, unacceptable service delivery in every sector and a deep concern about a failing economy.  The comments were not isolated or political by nature, but the message was the same, that our country is not doing well.  A stop off in Polokwane made it abundantly clear that there is decay and total lack of pride as the streets were filthy and vendors are totally oblivious to the law.  This is the capital of the North of South Africa and it is a shambles.  I came to realise that I most certainly lived a sheltered life as I was growing up and there were no doubt countless examples of racial discrimination, but I believe that the “New South Africa” has done very little in the smaller towns and cities and people’s lives look no different than they do now.  It is almost as if 20 years of democracy has done nothing to the men and woman in these parts.  I paused and thought of my last twenty years and what I have accomplished in that time.  Have I put enough effort into my business and its growth and development, have I succeeded in making a difference in my small sphere of influence and can I allege that I have done anything to make a difference to the lives of people I have come into contact with, in 2 decades.  Sadly and like most I am disappointed that I have looked mostly at my own needs and wants and tried to make sure that I was the centre of the universe and done what needed to be done to get to the top.  It was all about collecting things and accolades and titles and material gods and not so much about what teamwork and genuine social responsibility can mean to the area we are operating in.

Tour de Life Lesson

I recently had the privilege of spending nearly a week in a remote area known as the Tuli block at the conference of the three countries of South Africa, Zimbabwe and Botswana.  The intended purpose was to ride our mountain bikes in the 11th edition of the Nedbank Tour de Tuli as a guest of Nedbank.  The 4 days (plus 1 extra day for some) traverses the trans-frontier parks of Mapugubwe and runs between the Limpopo, and Shashi rivers.  This is a big 5 reserve teaming with game and wildlife and is a truly unique African experience.  I could regale about the organisation and the logistics and the riding terrain, but since I have been unable to write for some time I wanted to incorporate the experiences on tour with those we come across in life and the meaning that an experience like this can have on our lives and our future.  Certain experiences shape our lives more then we imagine and they can be responsible for either moving us to a new season and direction, or they can at least halt the place where we are and get us to take a good long look at what the future really holds.

Cast off from your Cares.

We really need to  cherish the early years of our lives, because while we are going through it, the tough things in our lives are things like school and who to like on facebook and friends saying hurtful things.  Our parents nag us to death and we are bored when we have tasks to do, or need to visit family.  And yet all too soon this time is gone, and with it the enjoyment of youth can quickly disappear, if we are not willing to try to still be positive and live in a manner that celebrates life and what it means to be truly happy.  Even in the years preparing for marriage and children, there are so many opportunities to live and be filled with the joys of life.  I am certainly not saying that once middle age sets in, these opportunities are gone, but certainly they become more isolated and scarce and yet no more important.  We need to take every step we can to enjoying the moments of laughter and fun, the time we have to do the things we enjoy and to relish in the youthful activities and exuberance which is regularly prevalent in the lives of younger people.  I took my son to a party at a venue on Saturday night and I watched the young people, streaming into the venue, their cares and focus was off whatever sport they had played in the day, whatever homework that needed to do and they were in the moment to dance and have a "jol".  It was good to see their smiles and expectations and excitement, it was encouraging to see that they were positive about the time they were going to have and they were talkative even after the party, about all that went on.  It gave me hope and inspiration that we as adults need to choose to do the same, to fight for enjoyment and positive outcomes, we need to be determined to make use of the opportunities we have and we owe it to ourselves and those closest to us to make sure that we capture the energy of youth wherever we can and that we enjoy the moments as much as they do.  Never miss the chance to enjoy life and have as few regrets as you can.  Young or old, it makes no difference, open your eyes and ears to what you can have and achieve that as far as possible.

Stop being a Twit..er!

I am sometimes quite irritated with the ability of people to want something from you or feel compelled to educate you, or remind of things you are not doing well, when they have flaws and failings, which are no less "sinful".  Social media often does not help the cause because people seem to be happy to air all their dirty washing on posts and likes and comments.  Yes it is true that the platform invites comment and interaction, but is it necessary to open a discussion intended to be specific to a person or group, to the entire planet.  Yet it is more the fact that it provides those that feel like they are the guardians of our souls and the keepers of our morals, that bug me, because they may be exceptional at offering advice via social media, but what is happening in their own homes or business.  It bugs me too that sometimes we have no choice but to get involved in this senseless exercises of show and tell on social media and it is frankly a complete waste of time.  Even giving compliments these days have been reduces to a message via facebook, or a change of profile and I fear that the youth of today will find it completely impossible to look someone in the eyes and have a conversation that has meaning and purpose and intimacy.  It saddens me that even I have got into the habit of changing profiles and using emoji to express how I feel.  But I suppose that if you don't then life will become pretty lonely and boring because the rest of the world is moving on with this process. I just think that a bit more attention and specifically thought needs to go into comments and stabs at people and more caution used before deciding which platform to use, to throw out digs or hurtful acts of conversation.  Certainly social media has a way of coming full circle a lot quicker than other interaction, so remember what you put in will likely come back to you real fast.

Lets check the Weather

Seasons are a changing that is for sure.  Sometimes there are momentous shifts in the tides and there are very warm summers and extremely cold winters.  Changes are so big that our entire thinking and view of our surroundings can change or be affected.  We can be the best planners in the world, but when a huge change takes place in our lives, we find that we are still not as well prepared as we thought, we flounder with thoughts of uncertainty and fear and we just don’t know how the future will pan out, despite the belief that we are doing the right thing, or making the best of the situation.  Every year the weather services tell us that this year will be the coldest winter yet and then in the end, we have another very warm winter.  How often do people say something and yet it does not carry through in their actions.  How do we ensure that what we hear from others, can be tested and believed.  I mean the weather services are notoriously poor at reading the weather correctly, despite having the best equipment in the world, at their disposal.  It would seem that uncertainty exists everywhere and the best we can hope for is to interact and engage with people that seem to be open and willing to follow through on what they promise, or say.  It is better to rather be a person who tries to follow this mantra, than have sleepless nights about problems that can be avoided.  Sometimes it is best to wear our hearts on our sleeves and gamble with the truth and hopefully, as it has been said in the classics the “truth will set you free”.  It may even be that you can confess, that you don’t know everything and that certain circumstances are just not easy or simple to deal with, or explain, but this does not mean that you do not have commitment to trying to resolve them.  We need to persevere, despite the weather changing and what will be needs to be accepted as what is meant to happen.   

Google it!!

The more things change the more things stay the same.  It amazes me in life, how we hit bumps in the road and most times, when we have been stuck in a situation and circumstance, we simply default back to the way things were.  When we find something that truly works, even though it was not what we started out with, then we need to pursue it, with all we have.  But do we? One of my biggest frustrations is setting the default browser on my computer.  I only want to use Google because, since I started using it as a search engine, it has yet to let me down.  But for some reason, over time others browsers creep in like "Sweet page" and "Yahoo" and people say that may be the way to go and I have to delete them and try to find "my Google" again.  It is not a question of not being open to try things differently, or being a control freak.  It is simply a question of knowing what is truly best and that which makes me happy and it is just impossible that it can be a bad thing, but the reality is that most do not view things in this light and will rather hang in with a different search engine on the premise that eventually it will be OK and things should not be manipulated, to get a different result. However, how much time is wasted using Yahoo, when Google will get you to your happy place far quicker.  Just saying - yes we all need a dose of patience and certain decisions do take longer to accomplish, but we need to be careful that we spend our quality time and precious moments, waiting for a new page to download!  We can keep refreshing our lives and maybe we will even get to the goals and dreams we seek, but we need to be aware of the frailty of life, the uncertainty in this modern world and the fact that we are susceptible to economics, stress, security issues and general moral decay.  We may live longer through medical science and hence have more time to search for our perfect page, but we remain vulnerable and it remains a priority to live the most excellent, bold and fabulous life.  

Some things are best said.. well.

A couple of tips regarding communication which I certainly need a reminder of.  Some weeks are just a right off when it comes to discussion and sentence construction and one can only hope that the duster will be able to wipe clean the board fully and not leave a smear in the background.  Don't be silly about things that bother you and don't leave words unspoken, or incomplete.  Speak in full sentences, but don't say the same thing over and over.  Choose your words correctly and concisely and be specific and direct in what you say.  Maintain your composure above all else and look at people when you speak to them.   "Moenie doekies omdraai nie", meaning that to say things as they are is far better than to presume that you know will be the correct thing to say and your presumption ends up being wrong.  Don't create awkward silences because you are not sure that what you want to say is going to be understood wrongly, or get you into trouble.  Don't twist the truth, so that it suits you and don't be dishonest about what you say to people even if you know that there may be consequences.  Don't hold onto sentences, because you think another person may not forgive, because if they are not willing to, then there is probably a reason for it.  Steer clear of gossip and rather ask for the truth, than be told later what you already thought, or worse what you did not expect.  Try to say things in a manner that is uplifting and not harsh and avoid criticism or sarcasm as they never produce any positive results for you or the recipient.  Overall be Nice.  The moral of the story I guess is to keep it simple, don't try to know, or find out everything, accept what others say and have the right attitude, no matter what is going on in your head and in your situation. 

Touch, Pause .... Engage!

Learn from the past, but don't wallow in it.  No one enjoys hearing about how tough your life has been and why your circumstances are worse than theirs.  The quicker one realises that there is nothing you can do to retrieve the past, or push the re- record button, the better equipped we become to take on life's challenges.  The mistakes you may have made and the decisions that haunt you, are certainly not going to change the facts, so to spend time reflecting on how and where you may have gone wrong, is a true waste of time.  And it is most certainly, precious time.  Every day has but only a few moments, which should be captured and savoured and held in your heart, or etched in your memory.  You cannot take all 24 hours and hope to achieve a perfect 10.  The sooner you are able to move from the memory, to a place of reality, the quicker you will be able to influence your surroundings and your industry.  Worry does not empty tomorrow of its sorrow, it empties today of its strength.  Worry will eat away at the positive moments and the moments which are about to become part of your positive conscience and it will destroy your courage and a vision that things can be better, even if they end up being different or new.  Frustration hangs around like a car guard ready to pounce and take a snippet from every positive situation.  It can heap up and boil over and your tears will wash it clean.  If you need to shed a few tears, go ahead and do so, for it is not always a sign of weakness, or lack of strength. People cry, not because they are weak, it's because they have been strong for too long!  Finding that release will wash away frustration, anger and negative thoughts and put you back in pole position to push forward ONCE AGAIN.  

A Feather in your Cap

Sometimes you find yourself in a situation where you struggle to have control over your thinking and negative thoughts are flooding into your mind - that is the time to talk your way out of it with distraction.  Tell yourself if you have to that you are going to focus on something else right now.    Speak to someone that makes you smile.  Find something that makes you feel better.  Try encouraging yourself that you are strong and powerful and in control of your mind.  Look around you to change your focus.  Take the first thing that is in front of you and allow your thoughts to change your world.  Do not allow the strains of life to suffocate you from the calling to be happy and prosperous and victorious.  The sooner we realize that we cannot live the life we do not want the quicker we can get on with a good life.  We are entitled to be happy and to move forward for much more than a few reasons.  We can thank the people in our lives that make a difference to our upbringing and our formative years.  We can show gratitude to them for the sacrifices they made to get us to where we are now.  We can try not to take things for granted like support and assistance and care and we can be respectful of time and what others are willing to give up to bring us a little reprieve and a taste of happiness.  Take a hard look at those in your life and what they are doing for you and then celebrate them, build them up and grab some love for your own accomplishments and talents in the best possible way.

Rub out the chalk and start again

Every day is a clean slate.  Don't  think that you dare to give up on today, because of the way things looked yesterday.  Whether they were bleak or uncomfortable or frustrating there is always today to make things right and to succeed again.  Every day is a new day to try again.  If for any other reason because we owe it to ourselves, more than anything.  Try to start with the things that are not your favourite to do, that irritate you and are many times put on the back burner, because they are just not "lekker" to do. Ensure that the things you prefer not to do, are done first, because that will allow you time to enjoy the things that matter to you. We all tend to start with the things that we enjoy and leave little or no time to get to the things that hold us back, but such things in life make a difference to the end result and frankly they need to be done.  It is not about being boring, or a control freak, or stuck in your ways, it is about ensuring that all aspects of your life are attended to, whether we like them or not.  Those that are not our favourites,we then put them off and they end up heaping up.  This will affect you in your future, because they will not disappear but only remain to clutter up your life and rob you of your freedoms.  It will not be a mistake to tackle them head on, but rather another decision to rectify something that needs to be fixed and best for your future.  So fight the urge to just have fun and only do the fun things and rather exercise discipline and commitment to tick off a few of those 'bug bears' today.

That voice inside you head

Listen to your intuition.  We all have a measure of this even though it is often written, that woman possess far more than men.  When something feels right that means it is right for you.  It is rather personal and relates to you as an individual.  It is not about what you think others are thinking, or even what they have expressed to you, it revolves around what you are feeling inside and how it makes you feel.  Whether you are able to give expression to it, or whether you think others may not understand your intuition, can take you further than you think.  Think back to many situations in your life where a gut feel or intuition has led you to a new and better adventure, it has saved you from making a mistake and probably also provided many a confirmation of something you have been thinking about.  Intuition is by nature speculative, but with a sure feeling behind it.  Because it is a shot in the dark, it is often left unsaid and expressed in your mind or heart rather than in public.  Intuition should lead you to facts, otherwise it may be that it lets you down.  Not every intuition is correct  and you need to allocate enough thought and time behind it.  When something feels wrong, that means it is probably wrong for you.  Again that involves you personally and should not be taken to represent all others around you.  In fact you feeling something is wrong may be creating exactly the intuition to someone else, that something is right for them.  Owe it to yourself to pay attention to your authentic feelings and follow where they lead.  Don't shrink away from them, whether they are painful, loving, exciting or even overwhelming.  Intuition will save you a lot of wasted time in the future if you listen to its calling.

Give me some Self Control

Don't think for one second that you are in control of your life and its circumstances, because just when you are certain that you are fully in tune with what life has to offer, you find out that it is sending you on a different journey.  We can plan in general to succeed but we cannot be sure that the factors affecting our plans can't change.  Having a constant supply of patience and the ability to put yourself in a position or place, where you may find success, are as important as the resources you throw at a given task or project.  It certainly helps when there is enough money or resource, time and support to ensure that you can give your dream a proper go, but having a daily habit of professionalism, integrity and willingness to work hard and exercise a self discipline of daily effort, these are just as pivotal to the cause.  It goes without saying that you dare not give up for even a day,  because this will just come and bite you somewhere.  Have the energy to turn up every day to your chosen career and give it your all. Not a little, or with an attitude of partial fulfillment. No 100 percent every day.  Strive for a balance of passion, commitment and regular practice and very soon you will see the dividends paying off, hopefully in more ways than you think possible.