Most of us look in the mirror, a bit bleary eyed in the morning while we shave, brush our teeth or do make up. But when you look in the mirror you can be sure of one thing. The person you see looking back at you is not quite the same as the person looking into the mirror.
How we see ourselves is not the same as how others see us. The day you recognise this can be disconcerting. When we really examine who we are the experience can be uncomfortable sometimes or indeed it can be very gratifying. Sometimes we are disappointed because we are not where we thought we ‘should’ be. I am not a fan of the word should. It takes the control of my life away from me and puts it into some other hands. I need to be responsible for my life so to ‘Should’ I say: No thank you. Instead of where should I be: I ask Where did I plan to be at this point? Now I am measuring against my plan, my intention. That is the route map I set out for myself. This is business plan or life plan but it is my plan. Where is yours?
When I launched ‘All the Mistakes’ in January, it was a serious look in the mirror for me. Would anyone turn up? Would people like the book? Would they even read it? Would it achieve what I had hoped? The answer is yes. Everything I hoped and more. I am continually bowled over by the kindness, the support and the particularly the warmth of the responses of many people. If you are one of those, Thank you.
So where am I going with this you ask?
Looking in the mirror I recognised that the purpose for the book and for the business and all that I do at Ardu is a two fold thing:
1. I want to leave the world a better place than I found it.
2. The whole project has to generate the quality of life I deserve.
If anyone finds anything useful in what I write then the first is sorted. The second, the reason to be in business, is what you and I have to work at. Simply put (as per the nugget) your business and mine is there to provide all the money, resources, security and whatever other needs we might have. The problem I have been encountering with a number of clients is that the tail is wagging the dog and the business becomes the only outcome. It no longer serves to make life better. It has become an end rather than a means to an end. Addiction to work is just the same as any other addiction. It can seriously damage your life.
So tomorrow, when you look in the mirror take a wider look. Examine all the wonderful parts of your life and take nothing and no one for granted. We do this every year at Christmas, at Birthdays, on Mother’s Day or Father’s Day. Why not a little bit EVERY day? Gratitude is powerful. (you can read what I wrote about it in 2018 on ardu.ie). So I encourage you to ask yourself in terms of everything you do: Why am I doing this? Why do I do it this way? Does today’s action serve what I am really about? Does it make my life and the lives of the people I love better?
If it works: do more of it. If it doesn’t: stop doing it.
This is an entrepreneur’s blog so apply that to your business too. Remember the reason you went into business in the first place. Re capture the fire and remember the real reason to be in business is your real life.
See you in April
Peter