Lethal Comfort.

Powerful life lessons are always worth repeating. I have said here before that past success is the biggest threat to future success. That is the one piece of advice I give young entrepreneurs whenever I speak to them. Success can be so sweet that it ends up blinding us. Whether its financial, career or personal success it gets us into a trance that seems permanent. My business grew steadily over the years before I turned 40. Life was good for a long time. I became fat (well, on the inside for me he he) and lazy. I was enjoying the fruits of my labor so much that I forgot to continue laboring. I failed to notice that the cheese was moving slowly but surely. When I was finally aware of it, I was left scrambling for the pieces left behind. It was not a pretty situation.

The danger with success is that it almost always appears permanent. We become oblivious of the fact that it is just for a season. We would be well advised to make hay while the sun shines. Maybe that’s why we describe political or career success as trappings of power. But how do we ensure we avoid getting trapped, yet success inevitably brings us closer to the trap?

With the little wisdom I have accumulated so far, I believe having a long view will significantly reduce the chances of being trapped even when we are close to the trap. I want to get to the point where I can enjoy sweet success the way my baby sharks enjoy those jaw breakers (we called them lollipops in our days) and remain fully aware that I have not yet arrived. That a current season of success is just part of the journey of my life and that it will end at some point to allow for another season to start.

We shortchange ourselves when we settle too early folks. We need to find a way of remaining slightly uncomfortable while in the comfort zone and be on the lookout for bigger and better simply because there is more for us ahead. As long as we are in this world we must keep growing for if we stop growing then we start dying. This view may be confused for lacking contentment. I am all for living life with contentment, but I now advocate for positive discontent. This is where we maximize every season of our lives but prepare and look forward to the next season. More like working our current season to be a steppingstone to the next.

The struggle I now have is with multitasking. There are many things coming together and threatening to swallow me in the doing. Or is it because I am a man? it is said that we can’t chew gum and cross the road he he. How do we fully immerse ourselves in the doing without losing sight of the long view? we have to find a way of working on our lives and not just in our lives.

A personal formula I have is to weigh all the opportunities that come my way. I do not want to be a busy body in the second half of my life. I intend to spend my time and talents better. My long view is that my future is in public service. I try to weigh all my engagements against this view before I commit. If the opportunity at hand will enhance my public service calling, then I will take it. That is my first litmus test. My second test is to enter the assignment with an open mind. Like committing to a trial period first. I make this known to the person who offers me the opportunity to manage their expectations. It’s simply good manners folks. With time I will be able to know if It’s a go or a drop.

So far, I’m liking this arrangement with self. It retains a sense of order and destiny even in the busyness. I recently joined a committee on sustainability in one of the largest country clubs in the region. I’m no expert on clean energy and going green manenos but a director from this club felt I will add value from my experience in matters golf. I accepted the offer because it’s a new area where I will learn a lot. It is also in line with my personal hashtag (#OnlyBIGthingsgoingforward) because sustainability is currently a big thing globally. Lastly, it’s an opportunity to serve people. I applied the same criteria when approached to join the community impact committee of the Kenyan chapter of the International Coaching Federation. Here we are mandated to advance the coaching profession in Kenya and create more understanding of what coaching is which should hopefully lead to greater uptake among Kenyans.

Folks if we resist the lethal comfort that success brings and strike a balance between being present and focusing forward then being busy in the second half of our lives will take on a new meaning. It won’t just be cliché where we often state how swamped we are like it’s a badge of honor. We will be busy building a life of significance that is fueled by our passions, new interests and talents.

A pleasant surprise of this new version of busyness is that the tasks I’m accepting are getting increasingly complementary and feeding off each other. I’m loving this collaboration and have a strong feeling that they will all contribute in answering the question, why am I here?

Be in the moment folks but don’t make it your permanent address.