This Too Shall Pass
2020 was not the year I planned for but one to remember
It is said an Eastern monarch once charged his wise men to invent him a sentence, to be ever in view, and which should be true and appropriate in all times and situations. They went out to search for this and travelled the world high and low. 10 years later they came back. They presented him the words:
"This, too, shall pass”
This sentence could be used in times of great peril to remind us that better times are waiting just around the corner. Similarly, in happy times we should learn to appreciate these because we know that they will not last forever.
I think that 2020 has reminded a lot of us that we should not take our lives for granted. Yes, Covid-19 has made its mark on our lives in ways that we could not imagine coming out of 2019.
And yet, even though the pandemic has impacted our lives in so many ways, we are still facing a number of bigger – and more well-known – problems. To mention a few; climate changes, obesity, Brexit, political polarization around the globe, poverty, migrant crisis etc. The list is long. Yet, most of us in the Western countries probably remember 2020 for the pandemic, as it has presented fear and life-changing impact right in front us.
2020 has been a tough year for many of us. Personally, being a solo entrepreneur 2020 has not been the smoothest ride. At the same time, 2020 has also presented a number of invaluable lessons that I am grateful for.
1. It’s okay to slow down
2. A plan is great until you get punched in the face
3. You need to take care of your own mental and physical health
4. Be grateful for what you have
5. Relationships are everything
1. It’s okay to slow down
We live in a hectic world that is constantly demanding something of us. We are under pressure to be productive, to compete and to be better than our peers or ourselves and never take breaks. Work is important to most of us – it defines us and who we are. The flipside is of course that we are burning out, we are getting tired and basically loosing our balance in life.
In spring during the first lock down, everything stopped. I mean everything. My ongoing engagements were postponed overnight and there was simply nothing for me to do. My first reaction was “oh s…” – how will this end. But after a couple of weeks, I came to terms with the fact that what was going on was out of my control.
I had for a long time wanted to pursue my curiosity for positive psychology but could not really find the time. Now, however, all I got was time. So, in May I took a speciality course on positive phycology offered by the University of Pennsylvania via the Coursera platform. It took me a couple of months to go through the five-course program, but boy was it cool to get world class education delivered directly to my laptop.
So once I settle in the slower pace, it was actually alright.
Lesson learned: Let’s slow down. We need to live one day at a time and pay attention to how we feel. And sometimes you need to go slow to go fast.
2. A plan is great until you get punched in the face
When Mike Tyson was asked by a reporter whether he was worried about Evander Holyfield and his fight plan he answered, “Everyone has a plan until they get punched in the face.”
I too had big plans for 2020. It was the year where I together with a cool bunch of people would launch a successful software company specializing in gathering external data on companies’ customers. It was the year for which I had planned to pursue the holy grail for triathletes, i.e., qualifying for the Ironman World Championship in Kona, Hawaii. And it was the year where my wife and I had planned to go back to Japan for some epic off-piste skiing in Hokkaido. This was not how 2020 played out.
With the global pandemic 2020 was not the year I planned for. Still, 2020 has been a driving force making me focus on the here and now. Appreciating the small things. And it is actually ok.
Lesson learned: This crisis has shown us that you never know what can happen. So, you better appreciate what you have and what you experience in the moment. In other words, be grateful.
3. You need to take care of your own mental and physical health
Until you are taking care of yourself, you will not be able to fight not just Covid-19 but any illness. If there is one thing many of us have experienced in 2020 it is taking a break and getting some fresh air.
When the busy schedule suddenly was replaced with an open calendar it also offered the possibility of getting new habits. I don’t think I have ever walked as much as I have in 2020 – and most of it done during “work hours” in the middle of the day. The effect on mind and body is of course great.
2020 has also been the year where I have continued to bike outside into the colder months of November and December. I have borrowed a gravel bike from a good friend which has led me onto new paths in the forests just outside my neighbourhood. Literally taking me places I have never been even though it is just outside my doorstep.
Getting some fresh air has not only led to better physical form but also improved my mental health.
Lesson learned: Mental health is an integral part of our health and needs to be continuously addressed, just like our physical health is.
4. Be grateful for what you have
This year was a great reminder to always be grateful for the things we overlook that we get to freely enjoy. Whatever we have can be taken away at a moment’s notice.
When we live our “normal” fast-paced lives we seldom stop and reflect on how we are doing and the good things in our lives. 2020 has forced us to stop.
Personally, I feel that 2020 has been an excellent reminder of what I really enjoy doing. And consequently, why it is important to continue down the path I have chosen – balancing a portfolio of executive coaching, growth strategy advisory services, pursuing start-up ideas and trying to get some physical training in every day. It is not always easy to get the balance right, especially in a year that has delivered a few dead ends and punches to the face. And yet, that is also the very reason why it makes so much sense to continue being solo entrepreneur. The list of successes in 2020 has been limited, but the list of life lessons extensive. For that I am truly grateful.
And one of the key takeaways from my crash course on positive phycology earlier this year was exactly that you – and you alone – are responsible for how you perceive what is going on in the world around you.
Lesson learned: Especially in tough times life is generous on learnings. And keeping a positive outlook does indeed make things better.
5. Relationships are everything
No matter what size the company, the relationships you have with your customers, colleagues, employees or suppliers is everything. Without good relationships you are nothing.
Luckily, I have enjoyed honest, deep and direct conversations with the people I have surrounded myself with in 2020. I feel that 2020 has brought forward a new type of dialogue. A dialogue without the filter, we sometimes put on. And yes, virtual meetings have their constrains, but at the same time we have been invited home to the living quarters of our colleagues and customers – maybe for the first time (no business suits; no small talk etc.).
Relationships is all about trust. Hopefully, we will continue to build our relationships and trust in 2021. Trust is essential for businesses to regain capacity and for individuals to start gearing up again.
Lesson learned: The people closest to you deserve your time and attention, and vice versa. When everything falls, all you have left are the relationships you have built and maintained.
And so, the memorable year of 2020 is approaching the end. We are getting ready for a new year. What is in store is difficult to predict. I guess we will have to see.
In any case, I am ready for whatever 2021 has in store for me. Bring it on!