Defining Value

valueNo matter what you are doing today – whether you are working for money or spending time with a loved one – you have the potential to create value.  That term is a powerful term – create value.

At the heart of real life there is the beauty of creating value.  Value has been so distorted in our generation.
Too much of the time value is being equated to the market capitalisation of a company, the return on investment or simply monetary value.

Have you recently paused to think of this simple term – value?  Something that is valuable is something to be desired, cherished and protected.  Indeed I think that most of us feel like that about our bank accounts and that is why banks go to great lengths to make sure our online banking detail is protected.  It has created an industry focused simply on protecting the value of the banks and their clients.

Have you recently gone to great lengths to protect anything?  The first, and perhaps most obvious one I think many people will protect is their job.  A job is something that generates and income and this income (money) in turn is something worth protecting.  The reality however is that many people willingly sacrifice their time (finite resource) in order to gain more money (something you can always get back).  As I sit here I am not in an office.  By choice I do not rush to work, answer calls, manage things and keep up a high pace.  Perhaps this is very idealistic and I am aware that life is hard.

In my past I have spent many hours in a car or on airports in order to “get the job done” and I know what the challenges are.  My current situation might also not last forever but I am constantly seeking situations that will bring more meaning.  I value this!  This awareness helps me make decisions.  It is awareness that is rooted in eternal principles that helps me make decisions that I feel comfortable will make me satisfied during my last moments in life.

We therefore happily live with less stuff but with so much more joy.  And no matter who breaks in or robs the bank they cannot steal my joy unless I allow them to.

When I encounter new people on a daily basis I am always looking to see if they understand the difference between a life dedicated to receiving value and one that is centered on adding value.  One of the most inspiring things in this world is a person that is utilising their highest abilities to make a contribution to society.  People like this are leaders.  They don’t have to be in charge of a large organisation or lead hundreds of followers.  They make a daily choice to let their actions and life be of value to those in their sphere of influence.  It is a choice not to complain but create solutions.  A choice not be an obstacle but an asset.

To what lengths do we go to protect things like relationships, health, growth, peace, joy and fulfillment.  Perhaps because these things seem so ethereal, intangible and difficult to quantify we also do not know how to protect it.  Our focus therefore turns to the quantifiable and tangible – hours worked, deadlines met and financial growth.

How do you define value?  Recently I sat down with my wife and quantified some of my growth that related to how I interact with her and with my son – things that are very valuable to me.  So for example I can count the amount of times I feel much more relaxed and present when I am with them.  I tend to live in the future  and also quite internally so my mind is always thinking, analysing and spotting trends.  When I am with them I can therefore be irritated or frustrated with their realities and the ‘burden’ this places on me.  In actual fact this is not a burden but a privilege and opportunity to learn how to let go of my strong will and focus and simply be.

This growth has been a priority for me and there are two ways to measure my improvement.  The first is simple: Feedback – I ask my wife how does she experience me currently with specific reference to things like does she feel that I am fully present when I am at home and to what degree does she feel valued?  Secondly I can do an internal check (and write down if I want to) how many times a week do I experience moments when I feel a close connection with my wife and son.  From my recent experience it is clear that there is an identifiable  increase of connection between myself and my family.  Now that’s growth!  That is valuable!

Perhaps you have different challenges and feel like this basic example that I have given above is completely irrelevant to your situation.  Perhaps, but there’s always a better way.  Just ask yourself: “What do I value and how can I protect it?”.

Edge Case: Nested And Mixed Lists

Nested and mixed lists are an interesting beast. It’s a corner case to make sure that

  • Lists within lists do not break the ordered list numbering order
  • Your list styles go deep enough.

Ordered – Unordered – Ordered

  1. ordered item
  2. ordered item
    • unordered
    • unordered
      1. ordered item
      2. ordered item
  3. ordered item
  4. ordered item

Ordered – Unordered – Unordered

  1. ordered item
  2. ordered item
    • unordered
    • unordered
      • unordered item
      • unordered item
  3. ordered item
  4. ordered item

Unordered – Ordered – Unordered

  • unordered item
  • unordered item
    1. ordered
    2. ordered
      • unordered item
      • unordered item
  • unordered item
  • unordered item

Unordered – Unordered – Ordered

  • unordered item
  • unordered item
    • unordered
    • unordered
      1. ordered item
      2. ordered item
  • unordered item
  • unordered item

The First of Many

Welcome to the new home of Survive to Alive!  As you are probably aware I have been blogging for quite a while and this is the next step for me.  In the months to come I am going to be sharing with you, and challenging you, to truly live and not just breathe!

In this first post I would like to recap on the purpose of this blog/website which invariably means that I am going to share a little bit about my journey thus far as it motivates and informs the work I do.  So here goes…

I have always been a curious person and love to explore and learn.  I am interested in how this world works and I have always been ready to challenge the status quo in search of a world with greater meaning and purpose.  I just can’t settle for okay.

Perhaps part of the reason I am like this is because I have been privileged to be raised in three different countries as my parents showed me how far they would go in order to commit to a greater purpose.  This translated into an exciting and challenging career because everywhere I went I could not help but look at every situation with the same question: how can this be improved?  Not everyone liked this.  So originally I started to blog because I was confronted with a world that simply did but did not think that much and I felt a need to express myself.  I saw survival but could not really find people who lived!

As time went by I kept running into challenges and kept on blogging.  I started to dream of a day where I could help people that was in search of a better alternative and perhaps also create awareness among others that there is in fact a better way and this better way meant truly living.

This is not a small task and it is an ongoing journey to help people go from survive to alive as I endeavour to do the same.  Helping other people is in fact the way that I go from just surviving to truly being alive.  What makes my journey even more unique is that with the support of family, friends and a Power beyond my comprehension I have been able to go and explore so many different approaches to life and work.  It is the world of work for which I have a passion to see people freed to contribute from their deepest empathy.  I also believe that in creating a world of work like this is inextricably linked to a healthier world.

So progressively I have focused on leadership development of emerging leaders and entrepreneurs through lecturing, mentoring, coaching and public speaking.  I however neglected the writing a bit because I was kept busy but also because I have underestimated its value and importance.

So now it is time to refocus and commit my talents and abilities to writing.  I will therefore be writing one post a week, no more.  I just don’t think it is necessary to write more.  I will however also be adding additional pieces that are downloadable and later on things will get more interesting.  …More about that later. Please go ahead and follow survivetoalive.com by entering your email address on the right as indicated.  Also explore the rest of the site and keep an eye out for the launch of the Alive Today! manifesto (hint: the best way to get your download early is to follow via email subscription).

I look forward to joining you on a journey that is not merely about surviving but is about truly living!

Final Verdict: Big is Bad

For quite some time I have thought about big vs. small – as in big business vs. small business.

I have now reviewed all the evidence, heard all testimony and have reached a verdict: Big business is bad.  Yip, you heard me – big business is bad.  Before you decide to stop reading and read that other guy’s blog about financial derivatives I would like to review the case with you.

I have had the opportunity to work with large businesses and also with small and there is something in the small business with a big heart that is not there in a big business with a small heart.

What I’m getting at is that big business should not be defined by turnover, profit, number of people, etc.  Big business should rather be defined by the desire of the leaders and owners in the business to build something of great value for the rest of society on a large scale.  The other view is when the owners of a small business see their organisation and purpose through the eyes of social benefit and not for profit primarily – BIG heart!

This point of view is what truly differentiates big from small.  So, it comes down to a paradox: In order to have a big impact you need to think small.  Small not in terms of revenue, market capitalisation or stock price, but small in terms of not missing out on the detail of staying true to purpose.  I have personally been part of organisational growth and corporate buyouts and the obvious pattern is one where there is a desire to become bigger it is ultimately driven by quarterly numbers – “BIG”!

Bottom line: Once the desire to do good is substituted for a desire to have more we all loose.  It is the story behind the shift in the global economic landscape, and perhaps a good time for it to happen.  It is a shift in the dominant global paradigm happening right now.  This is a complex, interesting and challenging world and I am happy to be alive.

So, I am calling to leaders and owners of businesses everywhere – will you simply survive from quarter to quarter or will you truly live.

Go from survive to alive!