Striving All My Life
I can’t imagine a time in my life to date, when I have not been striving to achieve ‘something’.
And I have to say it’s exhausting.
This ‘striving’ is not a conscious choice but just how I am ‘hard wired’.
From the time as a very young girl – around the age of 10 years old, when I was put to work in my family catering business until now at the age of 56 I have this ‘internal voice’ that says ‘what’s next’?
My journey has been an incredible one & I have zero regrets.
I have travelled the world; achieved significant business success; have enough ‘stuff’ for several lifetimes & yet I want more from my life. No, correction I need more.
I have changed careers several times; managed 585 small businesses by mentoring these business owners; bought & sold many businesses; run 31 marathons around the world; retired; followed my passion for running with an online business; reinvented myself during COVID lockdowns & now looking to get back into a ‘bricks & mortar business’.
What does all of this mean?
Firstly that I am human in every definition of that word plus that I want & need to ‘squeeze’ every last drop out of life.
I feel passionately about contributing to the world & being fully present and supportive in my community.
I’m not content just to ‘sail off into the sunset’ of retired life, whatever that is supposed to look like.
It’s an interesting idea ‘retirement’. In the 3 years prior to selling my 8 businesses I couldn’t wait to just stop & ‘smell the roses’; to be debt free & to have carefree days with no schedule; staff commitments or stress.
But there were only so many ‘long lunches’ that I could actually enjoy.
Suddenly once the ‘dust settled’ about 6 months into retirement I thought ‘what’s next’?
My identity of business owner was gone; I was rudderless.
So, of course being me I plunged head first into an online business. This was completely foreign with an incredible learning curve to navigate. I made some serious mistakes, had fun, lost a huge amount of money & was ‘spat out’ of this ‘virtual world’ feeling very disillusioned. What’s next?
During that time of my online running business I continued to run marathons & completed a further 10 marathons in all parts of the globe including running a marathon in each State & Territory of Australia in the same year.
Running has always been my ‘happy place’, something that I discovered at the age of 38.
Even though marathons are not on my current must do list, never say never. I still harbor a ‘secret’ dream of completing the World Marathon Challenge – when the world opens up again of course – running 7 marathons on 7 continents in 7 days – yes this is an actual event.
For now I love running 5kms several times a week to keep enjoying that ‘runner’s high’.
I know without question that I still have an enormous amount to ‘give’ to the world.
But what does this actually look & feel like?
Well, this is still a work in progress.
What I do know for sure is that ‘striving’ makes me feel alive, valued & worthwhile.
I’ve decided not to stop ‘striving’ & to keep pushing the boundaries of age.
I’m not ‘washed up’ & ready for a life in the ‘slower lane’.
What’s next for you in your life?
