It’s time to pump up the passion!
Not one of our usual topics but one that might act as a backdrop to all we do.
I thought it interesting that this year none of our friends made a New Year’s resolution and in a way it was quite disappointing.
Although we don’t know of many in the past, if any, that were ever kept it seemed to indicate a certain degree of resignation or apathy towards sell-improvement – and as a result, some days later I resolved to give me (Geoff) a talking to.
It wasn’t as a result of an epiphany, more of a restless night, when for some reason I was dreaming that I’d been asked who was the best Formula 1 racing team. A random catalyst for changing my outlook on life, I’ll give you, but as I reasoned through my argument in my dream I came to realise that it’s all a matter of passion. Bear with me for a couple of paragraphs.
Given the astronomical sums of running an F1 team and the huge investment by teams and sponsors all with the sole fiscal motive of profit from sales as their holy grail, why, with so many poor seasons behind them do teams continue to invest in future years?
In my dream I voted for Ferrari. If you know anything about F1, they’ve effectively, or ineffectively to be more precise, been driving a less than attractive red car around the tracks for the last few seasons with barely any reward. Its owners and principals change like the F1 regulations and its spent time in Ferrari and Agnelli family, FIAT, Chrysler-Fiat hands over the years; with a somewhat tenuous financial status. Despite all of this it remains the world’s strongest brand, epitomises power, luxury and wealth and all drivers, racing or otherwise appear to aspire to own or drive one.
Its all about passion in the face of adversity and mediocrity.
Incidentally, the images accompanying this piece are just some of the things that inspire me or make me glad to be alive – and that’s where my thought process comes in.
Latest research tells us that if we ask ourselves a question at New Year’s instead of telling ourselves to do something, we’re more likely to fulfil the task eg. ‘Will I lose weight this year’, rather than ‘I must lose weight this year’. Don’t ask me about the psychology of it but it seems worth a bash – so I’ve asked myself the following questions:
CanI stop drinking for January?
Can I lose five kilos by March?
Can I soar above daily routine to find positive aspects to everything?
Can I re-light my fire of enthusiasm for the things that I’ve become blasé about?
Four should be more than enough and the first two are simply proving to myself that I can and they should have direct health benefits – I’ve done them before so they shouldn’t be insurmountable tasks.
The second two are more of a hill to climb. Each person in their own way, no matter how privileged a life, has his own demons to conquer, problems to resolve and life to live.
It’s the last, which is the most important for me. Despite enjoying many of the finer things in life, the actual passage of time can take over with its trials and tribulations such that travel and holidays are seen simply as escapes from daily reality rather than being journeys of wonder and discovery in their own right and as something to lift the spirit.
My challenge to me this year is to rediscover my passion for those things that meant so much before but which now, to my detriment, I regard as commonplace – creativity in design, art and photography; wonderment and gratitude for travel; a love of this earth, nature and wildlife; unconditional gratitude for the health and bond within our family.
Although I’ve always owned and run my own businesses and therefore been used to self-motivation, I’ve realised more than ever now that I alone generate the energy which can make my life emotionally richer – I alone can tell me that ‘everything matters’, that mediocrity is poisonous, that routine stifles and that seeing the positive side of everything is the only thing that differentiates a morbid life from one that sparkles. I have to be a net generator of energy!
It’s the same life after all – whatever I choose to do with it – so my own talking-to boils down to ‘pumping up the passion’.
After all, don’t all good things stem from positive action?
Most of this is common sense but, for me, I needed to elevate it out of the ‘common’ and make it something special.
Happy 2016,17,18….to you.
January 4, 2016
Hi Geoff, wise words – I see we are on very similar journeys.
I am 4 days into dry January and much to my surprise not missing alcohol at all – it seems sometimes it more of a habit than one realises, I do wish although that I could get to sleep quicker at night. I started out at the beginning of November trying to reach sub 79kg by the end of January, starting out from 84Kg, when I hit 80 just before Xmas I thought even with some slips for Xmas its probably doable. 🙂
Last year I started the business year with lots of gusto – by December and a few set backs later it meant we closed only marginally up on 2014 activity however I’ve learned some valuable stuff along the way and have some excellent foundations for 2016 and one can’t put a value on that other than to say I’m determined this year “will be something to write home about” and part of that comes from focusing on the positive stuff and not letting the negative stuff make one too introspective and dull! Like you I want to find renewed pleasures and appreciation in the simple day to day pleasures of living in the life that I wanted and constructed for me/us – they do say be careful of what you ask for as you might just get it 🙂 – this can some times have the effect of becoming “well I can tick that off the list – Next ? “rather than I’ve arrived at the place I wanted and now lets REALLY enjoy it 🙂 Lets swap notes this time next year. May the force be with you !
January 4, 2016
Hi Marcus. So good to hear from kindred spirits – it adds much strength to the journey!