This is a hard lesson to learn, right?Unless of course, you will learn from reading this blog, rather than your own painful experiences. If you are anything like me, you have been spending a lot of time repairing! The biggest, and probably the only downside of being a chronic spontaneous and fly-by-the-seat-of-your-pants action-taker, is lack of preparation and the reparation that sometimes needs to happen as a result. So, whilst I absolutely encourage spontaneity, some preparation before racing off like a headless chook, will save you from the potential repair required.
My classic repair story was the result of the spontaneous and totally ill-prepared decision to buy a café, back in the year 2000. Wow, it’s hard to believe that was twenty years ago!! I had been a personal trainer for about ten years until that point, and had just spent the previous couple of years learning and getting inspired about the power of good nutrition. So inspired was I that I wanted to share my new found knowledge and predictable system for optimal health, energy and weight loss. Now, keep in mind, my qualifications and experience in the café and the hospitality industry were limited to eating and drinking out socially. So, clearly, I knew nothing.
What would make me think that buying a café was a logical move to get my vision out to the world? Nothing, other than a driving passion and a spontaneous nature. I did no prior preparation into owning this type of business. I did not consider that already working 80 hours per week in my personal training business would be a barrier. My vision was large, my action was swift, my preparation was non-existent and so my results were no surprise. After two years of working more than 100 hours, seven days per week, I was in around $100,000 debt. The reparation had to begin, and, it took years to pay off the debt, and recover fiscally, physically, mentally and emotionally.
Even today, I’m still learning & repairing. After an eleven year marriage, I find myself single again. Why? There are many reasons, that I am not going to go into in this blog, but the number one cause; lack of preparation. By this I mean; lack of attention, lack of planning, lack of self-awareness and lack of understanding. So, again, I find myself in repair mode. I’m repairing myself to be a better partner for a future relationship. I wish I wasn’t here. I wish I had been more aware and more prepared, but, it is what it is. I now have to deal with the consequences of my lack of preparation.
Please don’t learn from your own bitter experience, although you probably have already in your life. Learn from my painful experiences. I teach people, who are writing a book, to spend time developing a great chapter outline and book plan to save time and stress in the writing stage. As I am always learning, and encourage you to do, spend the time in preparation and planning for all aspects of your life. Be spontaneous, but do it with a plan. There is no doubt, it is better to prepare than to repair.
Knew there something amiss.
Definitely have to get sorted with the planning.
Unfortunately mum doesn’t have much longer with us…grateful for the extra two Christmases…but she is tired, and has a feeling she may not even make the newest treatment (in a couple of weeks).
I haven’t given up, I’m still jotting ideas and thoughts down, opening the book and whittling away at the chapters that needed better attention, but honestly, time is my biggest issue, and when I do have free time, my inclination is to unwind and relax.
We are in the new house, still unpacking boxes, and still sorting places for things to go…..also doing some more drawing and a few illustrations for my sister’s books.
Anyway, thanks for your support over the years, and the boundless enthusiasm..something I had an overdose of for most of my life. Although these last ten years have been pretty woeful, and I’ve found it very hard to find a modicum of motivation. I’m hopeful that by then end of this year, things will have settled at school (amazing new yr 7 program in line with moving into the new innovation campus in two years…where all my spare time has gone lately…writing the program).
Anyway, waffling..again. just wanted to thank you, and hope that you are ok!
So sorry to hear that Andrew. Best wishes.
Sorry to hear of your loss. Yes I was there many years ago and haven’t tried again. I am content in my single life and happy to continue with it as I have the freedom to be my own person and to go where I want without having to consider others in my house. Hope you get to enjoy this faze of your life before you embark on another relationship. Good luck and thanks for the advice once again.