Enjoy the journey, every day

I’m stuck with tickets for a trip to the Himalayas, and work is pressing for my time. I’m going anyway; it could be a blessing. MARCIA GRIFFIN

By Marcia Griffin

Next week I am going to Bhutan, the remote constitutional monarchy nestled in the Eastern Himalayas, which I gather is about to open up to the world.

You might ask “what has this to do with business?” Well, I committed to this trip some four months ago and now find that the timing is extremely inconvenient, but I am not able to cancel.

Over the last week I have been really worried about the impact of going away when I am really committed business-wise. So I have had to think back over my life and put this in perspective.

The conclusions I have come to are these.

I have a number of regrets in my life. The significant ones are more related to things I have not done than things I have done. They are the business risks I did not take, the investments I did not make, the trips I was too busy for, or just did not have quite enough money at the time for, and the words I have not said.

The most amazing parts of my life have always occurred when I have done something adventurous, taken on a new challenge, thrown caution to the wind!

So how is that for a bit of rationalisation? It has worked.

I am now very excited about going to Bhutan. It takes me back to my adventures in my 20s. Going overland to London, through India, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Iran, Turkey. Right across to the white cliffs of Dover.

It was the best year of my life and really the year that taught me to become very independent, a little brave – through the Khyber Pass every man carried a gun – and as a mentor to CEOs now I really encourage you to do the things that will create the amazing memories in your life.

Every successful business story, every successful life story, has courage as a component. In fact I once heard a great definition of courage: Courage = doubt + conviction + action.

I have no idea what I am going to learn in Bhutan. Perhaps it will be a reminder about my weeks in Katmandu on that overland journey a long time ago, where I took life day by day.

Perhaps it will take me back to my first visions of calm and peaceful Buddhists in their maroon robes. A memory that I have sometimes lost in the busy-ness of life!

I do know that I am travelling with five other amazing people, and am sure to learn lots from them. I do know that the memories of Bhutan will be with me forever.

I look forward to sharing my Bhutan thoughts with you as well.

For me it’s a timely reminder that the key to sustainable success is to keep the big picture in mind, but enjoy the journey day to day!

To read more Marcia Griffin blogs, click here.

High Heeled Success is Marcia Griffin’s latest book, and is a frank account of building a business from a solitary sales person to a multi-million dollar business with 4700 sales consultants around Australia and New Zealand. It recounts successes and failures along the way and was written to inspire entrepreneurs-particularly women to triumph in business.

High Heeled Success (Kerr Publishing) is available directly from Marcia (marcia_Griffin@msn.com.au) or Domain Books www.domainbooks.biz.