“It takes 20 years to build a reputation and five minutes to ruin it. If you think about that, you’ll do things differently.” – Warren Buffet

The above words from Warren Buffet occurred to me after watching the now infamous scene from last week’s Oscars.

I think we can all agree that Will Smith decided to do something pretty shocking to Chris Rock at an event that was watched by millions around the world.

There are many angles you can take on this event but one angle struck me in particular.

​”This being human is a guest house. Every morning a new arrival. ​A joy, a depression, a meanness, some momentary awareness comes as an unexpected visitor.

​Welcome and entertain them all!
Even if they’re a crowd of sorrows, who violently sweep your house empty of its furniture, still, treat each guest honourably.

He may be clearing you out for some new delight.

​The dark thought, the shame, the malice, meet them at the door laughing, and invite them in.

​Be grateful for whoever comes, because each has been sent as a guide from beyond.”

– The Guest House by ​Rumi

A certain virus beginning with the letter C arrived in our house about 13 days ago and one by one each of the family have succumbed to it’s nature, with me being the last.

“In the midst of hate, I found there was, within me, an invincible love.

In the midst of tears, I found there was, within me, an invincible smile.

In the midst of chaos, I found there was, within me, an invincible calm.

I realised, through it all, that…
In the midst of winter, I found there was, within me, an invincible summer.

And that makes me happy.

For it says that no matter how hard the world pushes against me, within me, there’s something stronger – something better, pushing right back.” – Albert Camus

If I went back to when I was 18 and gave myself any advice, it might be a version of the above words.

“We have bigger houses but smaller families; more conveniences, but less time;

We have more degrees, but less sense; more knowledge, but less judgment; more experts, but more problems; more medicines, but less healthiness;

We’ve been all the way to the moon and back, but have trouble crossing the street to meet the new neighbour.

We’ve built more computers to hold more information to produce more copies than ever, but have less communications;

We have become long on quantity, but short on quality.

These times are times of fast foods; but slow digestion;

Tall man but short character; Steep profits but shallow relationships. It is time when there is much in the window, but nothing in the room.” – Dalai Lama

Every now and then I come across words like the ones above that make me really stop, and reflect.

“Reality leaves a lot to the imagination.” – John Lennon

My wife, TLJ*, is a disaster when it comes to going to a cinema.

She literally gets immersed in the movie, to the extent that she lives and feels everything the characters do on screen.

She will become so engrossed in what’s happening that she has no awareness of being in a cinema or indeed that there is anyone else with her. As far as she’s concerned she is IN the world of the movie characters.

So if there’s any sort of scary scene in the movie, forget about it. TLJ will literally be beside herself and usually screams or shouts at the main character as they are about to enter a dark room where the murderer is… ‘Don’t go in there!!’.

“If you have a clear mind you won’t have to search for direction. Direction will come to you.” – Phil Jackson

“Have you seen the movie American Sniper?”, one of my clients asked me at one of our meetings.

As it turned out I had.

The story revolves around a US soldier, played by the actor Bradley Cooper, who suffers from PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder). My client proceeded to tell me that there was one scene that really struck a chord with him.

The solider had returned from a recent tour of duty and was trying, unsuccessfully, to re-integrate with his family at home. In one scene, the solider’s wife says to him:

“The key to success is to keep growing in all areas of life – mental, emotional, spiritual as well as physical.”

– Julius Erving

In today’s world, there’s a lot of hype and attention given to scaling a company. But not as much is given into ‘Scaling Yourself’…

In my experience, having worked with many companies who have scaled, the single best way to scale and grow a company is to grow the people FIRST.

“Concentration is the key to economic results.

No other principles of effectiveness is violated as constantly today as the basic principle of concentration.”

A client told me last year of a story about his 9 year old son.

When asked what his father did for a living he replied with:

“He answers emails.”

While a funny anecdote, my client admitted that it was closer to the truth than he would have liked.

“It’s funny how everyone considers honesty a virtue, but no-one wants to hear the truth.”

A couple of weeks ago, my wife TLJ*, stopped me in my tracks early one morning by saying this:

“Can I give you some feedback?”

As far as I’ve seen in my life so far, it’s rare that I’m going to ‘like’ what follows from that little opener. But I’m not sure I had a choice in the matter… 🙂

“So we see, to play successfully the game of life we must train the imaging faculty.” – Florence Schovel Shinn

“But what do I do with this?”

A client had called me unexpectedly because something had happened that literally blew their mind.

They had been focusing for a couple of years on a visualisation of a house they wanted to live in. He was so passionate about it that he created was is now known as a ‘vision board’ and would frequently look at it and daydream. (Key point…)

Many business people can see something like this as childish, but it might surprise you as to how many don’t…