Tag: purpose

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Is it possible to manufacture your own lucky breaks?

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Aspatat Farm, Aranos, Namibia, Copyright Chesney Bradshaw 2016

A business person was caught in a situation where he received ugly treatment from a media company and decided to throw in the towel.

There is only so much that anyone can take.

Unfortunately, despite value statements engraved in brass plaques or high-gloss and framed posters, some companies do not live up to their espoused values.

Anyway, this business person left and a few days later received a call out of the blue to say that the lease had expired on a small restaurant and would the business person like to take it over. Continue reading “Is it possible to manufacture your own lucky breaks?”

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What is your purpose in starting a new business?

Port Beaufort-20151227-01165I came across an artist who built his own home, sells his artwork and gives people private lessons. His life is fascinating because he lives his passion. But it also has a shadow side. He has to keep expenses down to the bone by doing most things himself. He was able to buy his house from his previous job but now makes enough to live on from his artistic pursuits so you won’t need to ever go back to a “regular job”. Continue reading “What is your purpose in starting a new business?”

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What’s it all about?

Sunset over the Atlantic Ocean, Kommetjie, Cape Town, South Africa. (Copyright © 2015 by Chesney Bradshaw, all rights reserved)
Sunset over the Atlantic Ocean, Kommetjie, Cape Town, South Africa.
(Copyright © 2015 by Chesney Bradshaw, all rights reserved)

I want to give you my thoughts before I attended a memorial service and wake for a long-standing friend who died tragically in an air accident not too far from where I live. He was a great guy, successful at business, full of life and laughter and a kind, loving man. His passing makes one wonder what it’s really all about.

Small business ownership, when you get right down to it, is seldom about the money. It’s always about the passion, a means to an end, which is to spend more time doing the things you love and being with the people you love. I have seen people who were mainly in it for the money but they lived mean, miserable, barren, soulless lives. It’s the ones who have used their money from whatever business activity they have been involved in or created themselves to bring joy to others, to share and to help and support others. Continue reading “What’s it all about?”

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It’s important to find your “Why” but how?

English: Energy Arc, central electrode of a Pl...
(Photo credit: Wikipedia)

If you’ve been through one of these change management exercises, you will know that a lot of focus is put on finding your “purpose” or your “why”. Your purpose, beliefs and key drivers provide the fuel that motivates you to change and excel. But I haven’t experienced any of these sessions that pause for a while and give you opportunity to work on finding your personal “why”. Continue reading “It’s important to find your “Why” but how?”

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Crossing the unknown sea

English: Catania, Sicily (Dec. 9, 2003) -- The...
(Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Personal voyages – your inner journeys – should begin with excitement. You’ve probably reached a point in your life where you’ve chosen to move on or move forward. But realistically, and in all honesty, personal voyages can start with uncertainty, trepidation and an empty feeling in your stomach.

This is not the right way to start anything so it’s best that you do some self-introspection and reflection if you feel that your start is stuttering – in other words if you have concerns and doubts. Continue reading “Crossing the unknown sea”

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It starts with a small step

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Manuel F. Guerrero, U.S. Marine Corps – This Image was released by the United States Marine Corps.

Scary events when you are a child stand out forever in your mind. When I was a young boy, probably around five or six years old, my parents went on a trip to Witsands near the Breede River in the Western Cape Province. On route there a car passed us at a terrifying speed. My father said to my mother that the driver in the car was being reckless driving at that speed. Not so long afterwards, we came across the same car. It was lying across the road upside down in the ditch with its wheels still spinning. The driver and passenger were dead. Continue reading “It starts with a small step”