Much of the teaching of the Kaizen Challenge can be encapsulated in a phrase often used by my late grandmother. Her words went over our heads, but they now make a huge amount of sense to me, and will strike a chord with all who have followed the Challenge.
“Cast your bread upon the waters, and they shall
come back sandwiches” she used to tell us. Give to the Universe and it in turn will give to you. Thank you Hannes, for bringing context and meaning to that delightful saying.
The Challenge has provided an awesome opportunity to contemplate and to re-evaluate life, goals and above all, attitude. I recognize for example, that my own life has been subject to external controls. Having been trained as an accountant, most of my thoughts and actions have been governed by the applicable “Rules” at the expense of independent thinking.
Equally, I recognize that corporate rules are being followed slavishly with scant regard for overall strategy or even common sense. While this creates, huge frustration when dealing with corporations, it also provides ENORMOUS OPPORTUNITY to steal a march on those colossal businesses. This is truly where we can apply the knowledge and thinking from the Kaizen Challenge to make ourselves financially independent.
This morning, our colleague Bill, was overtaking a heavy vehicle on his way to work. The driver took exception to being overtaken, and a broken and battered Bill now lies in the Emergency room awaiting a CAT scan to diagnose his injuries.
With the mindset I had a few short weeks ago, it would not have been possible to do much more than provide him with sympathy and emotional support. However now understanding the power of the Universe and of its availability to those who work with it, there is much more that can be done both for him, and for humankind.
All those years ago, our headmaster used to open assembly with the words “I shall pass this way but once, …..”.
It didn’t mean a lot at the time, but having aged myself, and seeing my parents becoming ever more frail, seeing my children grow up, seeing how Bill bit the dust this morning, all underline the one theme of the Kaizen Challenge – life is NOT a dress rehearsal. It is in deadly earnest and any good that I can do needs to be done with urgency. That is the road to true wealth, where money used wisely is but a powerful enabler.
Thank you for a truly enervating experience that will be with me for …….LIFE.
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