Me

Sometimes it is good to take a few minutes to reflect, to take stock, and to determine if I am on course. This is one of those moments I prepare tomorrow to visit the SMPS national conference in Denver, and as we get closer to our annual planning session in October.

You'll notice that most of the time in this blog I focus on the "you" or "we", not the I. This, of course, is intentional -- we all care about ourselves more than anyone else; and if you want to be a successful writer (or business person) you never forget that fact. But today, it's about me. So here is a progress report.

Finances

OK, our family circumstances are reasonably secure; but my business is far from its goal point. Solutions: Focus on finding and retaining new employees with the right ownership mind-set: Goal, to have the business in shape within the next decade so that employees can acquire majority ownership; and I can live comfortably on a) the capital growth of the business and b) consulting and support services.

Vocation

I really enjoy my work, most of the time, so I've succeeded here. No reason to stop working -- my scope of work will presumably change at 'retirement' age but I won't retire.

Health

Reasonably good, though this may be an understatement. Generally healthy practices and lifestyle, though I need to watch my diet more closely.

Spiritual and emotional life

On track; we aren't overly religious in our home, but Eric at 11 is confident in his Jewishness and we connect to our underlying values.

Family

Solid, happy (most of the time), and respectful. I'm now glad I took my time here.

I think the story here is overall quite good, especially if I put it into the larger and longer perspective. Through my life, at each demarcation point, often after seemingly impossible odds, I achieved the goal(s) appropriate to that point -- though their relevance and value often diminished rapidly afterwards and it took me a while to realise, for example, that what is important in high school really counts much less when you about to graduate from university and is utterly insignificant when you are 55.