SEASONS OF LIFE

I am at the airport waiting to board a flight going to Mozambique and i had a sudden burst of inspiration. 

I believe that for us to work and livean inspiring Life we ought to be in constant awareness of inspiring insight or information. and so as I am about to board an airplane, I want to share with you insights about the seasons.

The insight I wish to share comes from Jim Rohn which is about the Four Seasons Of Life (he wrote a book on this subject), and here is the wisdom I got from him. He says:

“Life and Business are like the changing seasons”, fairly obvious but also easily forgotten because of its simple nature. But its true, Life is like the changing seasons (the business cycle in economics or entrepreneurship as it is often referred to). After fall comes winter. After winter comes spring. And after spring comes summer. All with regularity and pray tell how often. Is this a reliable way to look a life and business? After night comes day. When the sun goes down and it turns dark we are not startled by that because we have been here long enough to know that’s the process of life.

With that begin said he shares the Four Major Lessons to learn, it is important for a business and individuals to study the Major. Some people  don’t do well because the major in minor things. Whatever we do we need to check at the end of the month, at the end of the week to make sure that we not spending major time on minor things otherwise we will wound up with a below average result.

The first is: Learn how to handle the winters. They come right after fall and with regularity. Some are short, some are long, some are difficult, some are easy, but they always come after fall. Remember it isn’t going to change. You must learn how to handle the nights, they come after days. You must learn how to handle difficulty it always comes after opportunity. You must learn how to handle recessions, they come after expansions/progressions. Sometimes you can figure it out, sometimes there is no way to figure it out. Sometimes it goes well. Sometimes it gets in a knot. Sometimes things sail along, sometimes it gets in reverse. See, that’s not going to change. Throughout history there is one consistent pattern of events, Opportunity mixed with Difficulty. You must learn how to handle the winters. The winter when you can’t figure it out. The winter when it all goes smash. The winter when it goes belly up. When your heart is smashed into a thousand pieces.The winter when it won’t work. There is all kinds: Personal winters, social winters, and economic winters. Winter time is disappointments.

So what can we do about the winters? Well we can’t get rid of July by simply tearing it off the calendar, but here’s what you can do:

You can get stronger, you can get wiser, and you can get better. Make not of the trio of those words; stronger – wiser – better. 

You cannot change the seasons but you can change yourself. By changing your philosophy, business philosophy personal philosophy. The only way it gets better for you (us) is when you (we) get better. Don’t wish things were easier, wish you were better. Don’t wish for less problems, wish for more skills. Don’t wish for less challenge, wish for more wisdom. You see the winters won’t change, but You can.

The second major lesson is: Learn How to take advantage of the spring. Spring is called opportunity. And uniquely enough spring follows winter. And pray tell how often spring follows winter? Every year regularly.

See opportunity always – all ways – comes. Days follow nights, opportunity follows difficulty, expansion follows recession. Isn’t that terrific? But here is what you must note TAKE ADVANTAGE. Just because spring comes is no sign that you are going to look good in the fall. You must DO something with it! Take advantage of the spring quickly because it is the 20 percent that will generate the 80 percent of you outcome/results. There is only a handful of springs that has is handed to each of us. They don’t come forever. In fact you have to get good a two things in life; planting in the spring or begging in the fall. So you got to read every book you can get your hands on, on what to do with your spring while they are here. (Be exposed to new/big ideas on a relentless basis).

The Beatles wrote “Life is so short.” And for John Lennon it was extra short. Elton John sings “she lives her life like a candle in the wind.” Life/Business is short. Life is brief. Whatever you going to do with your life/business, get at it! Don’t just let the spring pass, pass, pass.

The third major lesson to learn is: learn how to protect your crops ALL SUMMER. 

You got to take care of what you start. Sure enough as you have planted your garden in the spring, the busy bugs and noxious weeds, (weeds of indolence) their out to take it. And here’s the next bit of truth, they will take it, unless you prevent it. And that is the major lesson of life to learn, major skill to develop; preventing the intruder from taking the good. Here’s two key phrases under this lesson, the first is – all good will be attacked. Every garden will be invaded, not to think so is naïve. And here’s the second phrase – all values must be defended. Values for excellence, innovation, customer service, team work. Social values, community values, friendship values, family values, business values. Every garden must be tendered all summer.

And last lesson is: Learn how to reap in the fall without complaint. 

Come harvest time, learn to reap without complaint. Take full responsibility of what happens to you. That’s one of the highest forms of human maturity. I am not saying it’s easy but it’s the best. Accepting full responsibility. It’s the day you know you have passed from childhood to adulthood, accepting full responsibility. And another not, learn to reap in the fall without apology. Without apology if you have done well. And without complaint if you have not. That’s maturity.

We each can easily draw up a list of why we aren’t doing well; the funny list entitled “Reasons for not looking good” and it could be: the government, the market place, the economy, the client’s bias, the company policy. To explain away mediocrity and failure, pass the bark of responsibility. You have to explain right? Otherwise you are going to look bad. But explanation, and complaints don’t yield any outcomes. Conviction and a good enough reason to be better despite the changing seasons.

So as jet off, i hope this insight will assist you in enjoying each moment of each season.

Much Love. :)