Time For New Cheese

The good book says he who finds a wife finds a good thing. My wife was watching a wedding show on TV the other night, and I commented she likes such shows because she’s a girl. Her response was not what I expected. She said she watches so as to see what are the trends and new standards in my industry i.e. events (www.happeningventures.com). By the way please hook a brother up with some business. Her response communicated to me that she has my back, hence one of the many reasons why she’s a good partner.

She went on to add that my industry is crowded and that I need to think of something else. I’ve known this for a while, and I felt it way before I knew it. So, one sign that change is due is when your significant others confirm it to you. Heck, even TV confirms it. It can get to that when you’re that slow.  So, my restlessness has just gone a notch higher. Restless because I’m increasingly aware my cheese has moved, but I don’t know where it’s moved to. I’m sure most of us know the book, who moved my cheese by Dr Spencer Johnson. It’s a brilliant small book. So I might starve to death if I don’t find new cheese real soon. Since even the little cheese I have with me is smelly already and needs to be thrown away. Get my point?

I started my business 16 years ago and cheese has been plenty. I ate, grew fat (imagine me fat) and lazy and didn’t know when the rain started pounding me. So when I woke up about three years ago, I was panic central. I was at the top of my imaginary game. Now newer and preferred ways of doing life and business had checked in as I slept.

You See one of my biggest regrets at 40 was I went into autopilot and forgot to improve myself and my business continuously… Work was flowing in well, we were delivering, getting paid well and so why fix it when it’s not broken? The Huge Lesson I’ve now learnt is to keep fixing it so that it takes longer to break or even possibly make it break proof. That’s my realisation. Truly, past success is the biggest enemy of future success. And that’s the reality check being 40 gives you.  It felt like life ends rather than begins at 40. The fourth floor feels rather flat from my view.

However, like the eagle story at 40, there is a future and new beginning that is unimaginable and full of possibilities. Right now I can only imagine it. There is a whole new world out there. And penning my thoughts is one step into that new world. I’m slowly realising that i need to put on my Ray Bans (and not the fake ones from highway optica) as this future is appearing very bright.