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Applied Colour BC will be celebrating 3 years of being in Victoria BC in May. What an amazing journey! I have no idea who wrote the quote: Change is inevitable but growth is optional, however, I do know that taken at face value, it is absolutely true.
The most valuable lesson that I have learned on a personal level as well as a business owner is: “Things will not go the way you expect.” It’s one thing to have a desire and a dream. It is so important that we have goals to attain. These are the things that propel us forward. These are the purposes for us to accomplish, the reasons to get up in the morning and ‘put our pants on.’ Without a vision, the blind will lead the blind. Many times I have heard the phrase: ‘Fail to plan, plan to fail.’ The tricky part is... how does one plan, envision, desire and dream when things don't go your way? Both in the business world and personal world, ‘stuff happens.’ Things don't always go according to plan. As Robert Burns wrote: “The best laid schemes of mice and men go often askew.” Or as the Rolling Stones wrote: “You can’t always get what you want.” If I had a magic wand and a little pixie dust, with a wave and a sprinkle, every dream and good thing would come to pass. However, this is the real world and not Disney Land.
Life can go sideways.
As stated, Applied Colour BC will be 3 years old in May. The ‘ideas’ of how and what I needed to do to fulfil my dream as a business owner are not the same as I first envisioned when first arriving here on the Island. The desire is still the same: “To partner with those that desire to leave people better than found.” The way of accomplishing that desire is open to constant adaptation.
If there is one thing I have learned during this time it is this: If you want to accomplish much, be willing to give up much. Life does not care about your dreams or plans. It does not care about your hopes or emotions. Life just happens. Traffic jams happen. Jobs go sideways. Toast gets burnt. People let you down. You have two choices: accept and adapt or, resist and retreat.
The key to keeping your desires from floundering; your dreams from dying is knowing that: things will not always go your way. Expect failure. Expect dead ends. Embrace that. Do not be surprised by that. Realize that in order to accomplish your dreams and desires, you will have to be open, flexible, adaptive. When that is realized you will not be surprised and you will be able to adjust accordingly. You will grow. You will learn from the obstacles, and set backs. Hinderances and failures are a part of growth.
This past 3 years has been a lesson in ‘impermanence’. Nothing remains the same and if you are attached to ‘the way things are supposed to be’, then life will be hard.
Dream. Desire. Accomplish much. But... be open to learn, quick to accept and adapt.
Here is to another year of growth!
cheers,
Michael
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