What would you say to your younger self?
This is a question I pondered when I saw a photograph recently of a young man taken 30 years ago.
A picture of a young man with the innocence and bright eyes of hope and expectation.
About to graduate business school and enter a world with different rules and an environment harsher than the one he had grown up and protected from.
A photo I had never seen before, and couldn’t remember being taken, and one that rocked me some because the subject’s perceived naivety.
I wanted to ask him at that moment of time, what he hoped for, believed in, and what the future held?
In return I would give him the heads up. Maybe give him the edge to get ahead faster, further but not rob him of the challenge and exuberance of personal independence.
I saw as my 7 pearls of wisdom.A list that would not overwhelm him but serve him all his life. Give him a short cut.
"Keith, can I have a moment? Why yes” he says. "Who are you? You look familiar?” He adds.
"Lets say I know you and thought some words of advice might help. it could save you a lot of time, and emotion." I add.
"Yes, okay sounds okay."
“Please . If I could leave them with you, but then I must rush and won’t be able to discuss them.
"But we’ll catch up in the future.”
“Okay.” He looks bewildered and puzzled but respectful as I knew he would be.
I begin.
1/ What goes around, Comes around
Don’t worry where you start, it only matters where you finish. Over time those who finish first, will finish last and vice versa.
Life is unpredictable. Play the hand you are dealt. Never compare yourself with another be it money, skill, family, looks or material
goods. Because when we compare, we draw comparison with someone’s best with our worst. A comparison that will never win for you.
If you hang in there, and want it badly enough, you will achieve it, have it, or become it over time.
2/ Don’t become Good, become Great
The world is full of good people. Good has become the new normal of mediocre. If you think people are scared of failure wait to you find how people
are more afraid of something else. Success. Of being great. Why you might ask? You will be warned by others, people who are your closest
in a bid to save your from hurt, disappointment. Don’t aim so high. Have realistic expectations they will say. They know if you become great at something it threatens their own standing. Their own self esteem and acceptance of mediocre. The most competition takes place at the ‘good' level. Its rarified air where the “great’ populate. Aim for the stars. Live your dreams Remember the competition is at its most at the level of good.
3/ When the Student is ready, the Teacher will come.
You are about to graduate from RMIT. Good. Now the learning starts. You think now you have finished that you should be entitled to top dollar from the getgo.
Son the learning is only now about to start. Your ‘piece of paper’ just gets you into the game. It is no guarantee you will get a job, and if you do, you will feel you are underpaid for that job, fore in your mind it doesn’t match the level of effort and training you have had. You are about to learn a major life lesson, unless you are joining the public service, which you aren’t, you are paid in arrears for results not time. Your best employers' will select you on your attitude and not on your skill.
You are about to become part of one of the most dynamic periods of human existence and change will be exponential.You will be both challenged but rewarded if you keep ahead of the change continuum. The only thing you must do is become a life long learner. Many will not. There is the opportunity.
4/ In Credit we Distrust.
With prosperity, which you will be front centre of, will come all sort of ‘toys’ and 'must haves'. What’s more you will want it all, and now. You will not earn enough fast enough to pay for them all. Enter credit. Eager. Seducing banks and financial institutions.
You will appease your conscious knowing that there is arguably good debt and bad debt. I will not be able in your early years to stop you falling under the spell of such economic devices. But I do say to you seek out and learn to understand the concept of Compound Interest. Better known as the 8th wonder of the world.
5/ To have good friend, be a good friend
You have established good relationships with many friends, through family school and soon work. Many of these people will wash through your life, just as you will with them. That is not a disadvantage or a negative but whilst you have common goals your relationship will be tight and meaningful.
But as time, jobs and roles change so will the range and composition of these colleagues and associates. But a handful will mean more to you than others. But good friendships don’t just happen. They must be worked on continually and pro-actively.
Don’t wait for others to contact you, and remain aloof and remote. You must be willing to be a good friend first, to have good friends who will be there for you.
6/ Be a Goal setter, but also appreciate Happenstance and Serendipity.
You will be bitten early the need for lists and goal setting. In fact you will become a goal setting fanatic, that will rise to another level the day you find out about SMART.
But don’t become a good luck denier. Appreciate yes you do make some of your own luck, but there is a major part of life made of serendipitous occurrences and randomness.
Being in the right place at the right time. Meeting your future wife, a night you worked in a bar she walked in with friend, the day you called in in the off chance of seeing a mate and his boss offering you a job that would change your future. Your parents moving to he other side of town when you were 17 years, an action that was deliver your 15 minutes of fame.
So be on the look out for those opportunities that others may just call luck.
7/ You have but one thing. Time and not enough of it.
Understand as change accelerates in the very near future, it has an invert relation with Time. Relatively it becomes shorter.
You have arrived on Earth, and like everyone else, you have arrived with one thing (other than the fear of loud noises) and that is Time.
You have the same number of minutes in the hour, hours in the day, and days in the year. Your life will be run by the clock. Whilst people speak of getting more time, they can’t
You should look to leverage your own. Leveraging your money for greater return, in the least amount of time. Saving your own time by employing others, to leverage your skills and through the time and specialist training of others.
Minimising the wasting of your time through mechanical devices (whether that be through inventions of the future Microwaves, Computers, Blowers, and faster cars and jet planes.- on second thought forget I said blowers!)
When you apply your own time treat all things equal, but some things more equal than others. Base your allocation of your time according to priorities which flow from your goals. The challenge is to stop distractions ( your’s and other people’s) and appreciate Vilfredo Pareto’s 80/20 rule.
But remember its latter than you think. But not to late to learn.
Finally. Life is Short. Enjoy it. Don’t take it or yourself to seriously.
Laugh.Laugh often. Laugh louder and longer. And most importantly enjoy the ride! I know it is going to be a great one.
"Keith don’t worry if these things don’t make sense now. They will eventually.’ I finish.
"Oh no!” He says. " Some sound helpful. But I guess I am a different type than you.”He adds. "You seem a little heavy and too serious.And if you don’t mind me saying. A little spooky! I could never be you."
"Bye the way who is it we know in common?" He asks inquisitively.
"Sorry Keith, got to run. We will meet I am sure sometime in the future.” I finish.
"Wait, wait before you go!! “ He yells after me.
"Hey you left something.
"This rectangle thingy. With the bitten apple…"
"Hey you…."
