Slow Down and Enjoy the Journey

by Philip Scott

Wow, how fast did 2009 fly by? Im not sure if it could be considered a full year! We should be in 2009 and a half, not 2010.

I heard an interesting theory once. Actually it came from Shane Leites dad, Bill. He suggests that every year feels shorter because it actually IS shorter when compared to the rest of your life.

Consider this: When you turned one (okay, I know you cant possibly remember this, but just work with me here), the year that had just passed spanned your whole life! By the time you turned 10, on the other hand, that year equated to only 10% of your life, 20 is 5% of your life, and so on. Makes sense, doesnt it?

So my goal for this year is to slow things down. By that I dont mean I want to laze around and do nothing. I mean that I want to make things count. When I do something it will be with a definite purpose. I will not become so involved with one thing that life passes me by while Im not looking!

I have been very fortunate in that my darling wife of 20 years (yes I know, its hard to believe anyone would put up with me for 20 years!) does not take any nonsense. I could easily have become a workaholicokay, well maybe I should say even more of a workaholic, if it wasnt for her. Thats the problem with enjoying your jobbusinesscareer. It can easily become all consuming, and only when it is too late do you realise that the things that were truly important to you fell by the wayside.

So yes, I am very fortunate that shes never let that happen to me! Being South Africans and therefore, I believe, by definition go-getters, driven and ambitious, it is natural for us to focus on the end goal and miss the journey.

I still remember being in my very early twenties (its not THAT long ago) and how I used to say that I was going to retire at the age of 35 and take up professional golf. Not because I was particularly good at golf, but more because I believed I would have enough invested to live off for the rest of my life so even if I really sucked at golf, it wouldnt matter! Given the recent Tiger Woods scandal maybe it was a good thing it didnt happen. But then again my wife is much more beautiful than any of those girls anyway.

Now please dont see this as an open invitation to contact me about the latest and greatest variation of Amway, Dubli or whatever. I will keep doing what Im doing, but just keep improving how I do it. That way I can achieve more while doing less.

Funny, for so long people have told me that the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over, but expecting a different result. Erm, no! That is called practice. I taught my son about my perpetual triangle of success. The harder you try, the better you get. The better you get, the more fun you have. The more fun you have, the harder you try.

So go out, try, succeed, and most of all, enjoy the journey!

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