#55. Time To Reflect - My failures in 2023.

To grow, we must do things that cause suffering to ourselves and accept that our patience will pay off in the end.

I don’t like the word failure; it wreaks of a poor mindset.

I use it sparingly, and today I use it to provoke your understanding of what leading alone can be like. And how we protect ourselves from quitting.

We started the year as a family in an amazing financial position. But as the year went on, our focus on some of the biggest goals we set ourselves consumed a lot of those funds.

As I sit here now, things are tight, which doesn’t feel good.

Why?

Because I allow my emotions to control too much of my time.

But when I focus and calm the meanness of my mind, I realise that the flow of the good and the bad is something we have to build into our journeys.

My emotions now do not reflect the mission we set out to achieve, which was huge on the cash front:

1. Move house - lots of cash required.

2. Change vehicles - lots of cash required.

3. Change to a private school - lots of cash required.

4. Create a business from scratch - lots of cash required.

5. Changing our core business - lots of cash required - savings.

6. A month in the UK to reconnect with my dad - air travel is f-ing expensive.

But not just that, the emotional and physical front:

1. Loss of a close friend - hard to recover from.

2. Reconnection with my dad - anxiety through the roof.

3. Moving house is hard - no matter how organised you are.

4. Millie had a rough first six weeks at her new school - lots of tears.

5. A wife battling with her body as a middle-aged woman - lots of tears.

6. No motivation to go to the gym - got overweight and unhealthy.

7. Relentless fear that all of the above is my fault and that I got it wrong.

On the face of this list… it’s been a bumpy ride. But…

The reality is:

1. We had to move home for our daughter’s education - investment.

2. We wanted more time to ourselves, less time on the land - capacity.

3. People leave us prematurely - we must remember the light they brought.

4. I have my dad back, and he has me - love.

5. My time in the UK gave me the confidence to thrive - London energy.

6. I found the gym again three weeks ago and love it - for me.

7. I started a business with less than $100 - now it delivers $7-8,000p.m

8. I found my calling in my core business - my work provides meaning.

9. Millie is now in an environment that rewards effort and values - hope.

So when I think of the failure, my emotions are trying to catch me out.

This year has been the biggest year we could have taken on for ourselves and our businesses, and my takeaway:

I am willing to do whatever it takes to do the things that mean the most to me. No matter what.

And sometimes in the moment - it doesn’t look or feel good.

So what for 2024?

1. Relentless courage to step into the arena

2. Relentless investment into my core - health, family, business

3. Relentless editing of the shit I don’t want or need

4. Relentlessly me.

If this is a failure, then I do not need for success. Life is a series of experiences and opportunities to learn and grow. The rest… well the universe can work that out.

So my question to you: How will your 2023 failures define your future?

Until next week, be relentless!

G

As we look down the barrel of 2024 you may feel you need some support to make the progress you think you are capable of. If that’s the case contact me here.

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